Table of Contents
- 1 Why did the 17th Amendment change the way that senators are chosen?
- 2 Why did the Constitution establish a two House Congress?
- 3 How were senators chosen before the 17th Amendment?
- 4 What does the Constitution say about senators?
- 5 How many state Senators does each state have?
- 6 What is one reason that the Constitutional Convention decided?
Why did the 17th Amendment change the way that senators are chosen?
What changed with the 17th Amendment? – Originally, Senators were originally elected by state legislatures rather than by popular vote. – Framers set these requirements, as well as the longer terms in office, because they wanted the Senate to be a more enlightened and responsible legislative body than the House.
Why did the Constitution establish a two House Congress?
To balance the interests of both the small and large states, the Framers of the Constitution divided the power of Congress between the two houses. Every state has an equal voice in the Senate, while representation in the House of Representatives is based on the size of each state’s population.
Why did the Constitution originally have senators elected by the state legislatures and why was that changed?
Having the state legislatures elect the senators reassured anti-federalists that there would be some protection against the federal government’s swallowing up states and their powers, and providing a check on the power of the federal government.
What plan gave each state 2 senators?
Introduced to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, James Madison’s Virginia Plan outlined a strong national government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The plan called for a legislature divided into two bodies (the Senate and the House of Representatives) with proportional representation.
How were senators chosen before the 17th Amendment?
From 1789 to 1913, when the Seventeenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, senators were elected by state legislatures. Beginning with the 1914 general election, all U.S. senators have been chosen by direct popular election.
What does the Constitution say about senators?
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
How are two senators elected?
The 17th Amendment to the Constitution requires Senators to be elected by a direct vote of those she or he will represent. Election winners are decided by the plurality rule. That is, the person who receives the highest number of votes wins.
How were senators elected before the 17th Amendment?
How many state Senators does each state have?
Each state sends two Senators to represent their state in the U.S. Senate. However, in the House of Representatives, a state’s representation is based on its population.
What is one reason that the Constitutional Convention decided?
A convention of delegates from all the states except Rhode Island met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in May of 1787. Known as the Constitutional Convention, at this meeting it was decided that the best solution to the young country’s problems was to set aside the Articles of Confederation and write a new constitution.