Voting In Congress

Back to curriculum unit: The Legislative Branch

Overview

How do members of Congress decide whether to vote yea or nay on a bill? In this lesson, students learn what factors members of Congress consider when deciding whether to vote for a bill, including the powers given to Congress by the Constitution, what a member's constituents want, his or her political party's position, and the member's personal views. Students simulate the decision making process using hypothetical bills based on real-life issues.

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Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Identify the constitutional powers of Congress
  • Describe factors that members of Congress consider when deciding how to vote on a bill
  • Simulate the decision making process of voting as a member of Congress
These resources were created with support from the Charles Evans Hughes Memorial Foundation
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