1. Institutions of American Government
Module 4.1: Congress
Section 3: The Mechanics of Representation

2. Lesson Objectives Describe the basic structure of the US Congress
Distinguish apportionment from redistricting
Examine the importance of the US Census relative to the US Congress and federal programs
Modify a theoretical state map to maximize partisan representation in Congress

3. The Basic Structure of Congress
Bicameral
Two houses
Most states also have bicameral legislatures
Co-equal houses
House of Representatives
435 members
Two year terms
Senate
100 members
Staggered Six year terms

4. Question #1 Which state has a unicameral legislature? Wyoming Nebraska
Rhode Island
Alaska

5. Apportionment Affects composition of House of Representatives
Regularly occurs every 10 years
The Decennial Census
Mandated by the Constitution
Accounts for changes in population
Births
Deaths
Migration
Highly politicized
Funding for federal programs also linked to Census Data
Accuracy often in question
Undercounts
Overcounts
‘head count’ v. statistical sampling

6. Redistricting Power reserved to the States
State legislatures and the Census
After Congress apportions # of reps.
State legislatures redraw district lines
US House of Representatives
State House of Representatives
State Senate (if applicable)
District Maps may be contested in a Federal Court

7. The Apportionment & Redistricting Process
Bureau takes Census
Census Report to Congress with recommendations
Total Population
divided by 435 to obtain
minimum district size
Number of districts
determined for each State
(x/435)
Report transmitted
to State legislatures
Apportionment decided
by Congress
State legislatures
receive Report
State legislatures debate and decide district boundaries
Barring legal challenges,
New district lines apply in the next general election for the affected house
US HR
State HR
State Senate

8. Gerrymandering
The Practice of State Legislatures of redrawing district lines to gain partisan or factional advantage
First evident after the 1810 Census
Elbridge Gerry and the Salamander
Technically illegal
Difficult to prove

9. Question #2
Gerrymandering is the practice where congressmen redraw district lines to maximize partisan factional advantage.
True
False

10. Question #3
Which of the following explains the correct answer to the previous question?
Congress is responsible for apportionment, not redistricting
Congress is responsible for redistricting, not apportionment
Gerrymandering deals with state legislatures, not Congress
Gerrymandering deals with Congress, not state legislatures

11. Activity Each (square) figure represents one whole unit of population.
Your task: draw lines across this state to maximize your party’s support in the USHR
You may cut units of population into parts , but
Each continuous area must have the same total whole number of figures
Total number of districts: 4.

12. Congressional Districts in Texas

13. Other Districts

14. The Original Gerrymander: The Congress of 1812

15. Question #4 Which of the following concepts was clearest?
The basic structure of the US Congress
Apportionment
Redistricting
The importance of the US Census