Free Civics Studies Lesson 5: The Senate

The United States Senate: What it is and what it does.

Read the current chapter online: “The Senate”

Suggestions

In 1894, when the book was published, streetcars were used to transport tourists. Read more about A Streetcar City at the Smithsonian.
View the green trolley cars that were used.
Learn more about the locations “the tourists” saw:
- The Peace Monument.
- United States Botanic Garden.
- The Garfield Monument.
- Capitol’s western terrace.
Prior to Ronald Reagan’s inauguration, the majority of presidential inaugurations were held on the Capitol’s East Front. Now they are held on the West Front.
View the Columbus Doors and the George Washington Sculpture. Can you understand what the boys were referring to with their baseball analogy?
View and learn more about the Capitol Rotunda.
Learn more about Perry and the Battle of Lake Erie.
Learn more about the “Ladies’ Gallery” and the current Senate Chamber and Visitors’ Gallery.
Find out who the Senate pages are.
View the Capitol floor plans.
Compare and contrast the English House of Lords and House of Commons with our Senate and House of Representatives.
What does senex mean?
Read about The Great Compromise. Narrate.
Describe the role of the voter as described on pg. 80.
Make a flip book explaining what Congress does.
There is a great deal of information explaining why we have both a Senate and House of Representatives. Compare and contrast the two.
Write a character sketch of Senator Charles Sumner.
View Charles Sumner’s grave at Mount Auburn as mentioned in the text.
Learn more about the Senators of note mentioned in the text:
- Clay.
- Webster.
- Calhoun.
- Wright.
- John Quincy Adams.
- Benton.
- Van Buren.
- Everett.
- Seward.
- Evarts.
- Blaine.
- Sherman.
- Conkling.
If you have time, create a notebooking page for each with a photo and description of what each Senator was known for.
Of course, with the book having been written in 1900, there are many senators we could add. Choose a senator of more recent history to include.
Learn more about the Vice President’s Senate role.
Copy the summation of the Senate in a few words beginning at the bottom of pg. 74 and continuing through pg. 75.
View the lighted Capitol dome.

Learn more about the Senate from The Book of Knowledge:

The law-making power is in the hands of Congress, which is made up of two bodies, called houses. In one, the Senate, each state, large or small, has two members. A senator is elected by the people of his state, represents the whole state and serves for six years. However, the terms of all the members of the Senate do not run together; one-third are elected every two years. A senator must live in the state he represents, must be at least thirty years old, and, if he was born outside of the United States, must have been a citizen nine years….

The vice-president of the United States is the president of the Senate. If there is not a vice-president, which happens when a president dies and the vice-president becomes president, the Senate elects a temporary president.

The Senate has some powers that the House has not. It shares with the president of the United States the power to make treaties or other agreements with foreign countries; it must approve of the persons the president appoints to high office. If a president or other high officer of the government is charged with a crime, the Senate sits as a court to try him. This is called impeachment.

“How the United States is Governed” from The Book of Knowledge