History ---------------- |
| There are 3 branches in the United States government, the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch. The Executive Branch enforces laws, the Legislative Branch makes laws, and the Judicial Branch interprets laws. The main building of the Legislative Branch that makes laws, is Congress. The U.S. Congress is a bicameral legislature. That means it is a two-house legislature, with a lower house, and an upper house. The House of Representatives: The House of Representatives is the lower house of Congress. Term is for 2 years ending in January 3. To be eligible for the House of Representatives, one has to be: 1.At least 25 years old 2.A U.S. citizen for at least 7 years 3.A resident from the state from which chosen The zip code of the House of Representatives is 20515. The telephone number of the House of Representatives is 202-224-3121. The number of representators from a state depends entirely on the state's population. There are currently 435 members of the House of Representatives. The leader of the House of Representatives is the Speaker of the House. First lady to be a representator: Jeannette Rankin for the state of Montana, elected November 9, 1916, Republican. She served in the 65th Congress. First black to be a representator: Jefferson Franklin Long for the state of Georgia, elected December 22, 1870, Republican. He served in the 41st Congress. The Senate: The Senate is the upper house of Congress. Term is for 6 six years ending in January 3. To be eligible for the Senate, one has to be: 1.At least 30 years old 2.A U.S. citizen for at least 9 years 3.A resident from the state from which chosen The zip code of the Senate is 20510. The telephone number of the Senate is 202-224-3121. There are always two senators from each state, so as long as there are 50 U.S. states there will be 100 senators. The leader of the Senate is the vice president. When the vice president is taking place of the president, the president pro tempore is the leader of the Senate. First lady to be a senator: Rebecca Latimer Felton for the state of Georgia, elected October 3, 1922, Democrat. First black to be a senator: Hiram Rhodes Revels for the state of Mississippi, elected January 20, 1870, Republican. |
| The United States Congress |
| Librarians of Congress John J. Beckley Patrick Magruder George Watterston John Silva Meehan John G. Stephenson Ainsworth Rand Spofford John Russell Young Herbert Putnam Archibald MacLeish Luther H. Evans L. Quincy Mumford Daniel J. Boorstin James H. Billington |
| Year Served 1802 - 1807 1807 - 1815 1815 - 1829 1829 - 1861 1861 - 1864 1864 - 1897 1897 - 1899 1899 - 1939 1939 - 1944 1945 - 1953 1954 - 1974 1975 - 1987 1987 - |
| Appointed By President Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson James Madison Andrew Jackson Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln William McKinley William McKinley Franklin Delano Roosevelt Harry S Truman Dwight D. Eisenhower Gerald R. Ford Ronald Reagan |