Introduction

Enduring Knowledge: Congress is elected to represent and make laws for the people.

Study the political cartoon below. The man in the cartoon is Thomas B. Reed, who was Speaker of the House of Representatives when the cartoon was published in 1897. What stands out to you about the cartoon? How is Reed portrayed? What is the main point of the cartoon? Roll over the highlighted areas on the image to learn more about the political cartoon.

Open Political Cartoon in a new tab | Political Cartoon text version

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This 1897 print, titled "Extra session of the House of Representatives of the Fifty-fifth Congress", shows Thomas B. Reed, Speaker of the House of Representatives, sitting at the Speaker's desk and, oversized, as the only member of Congress present (Library of Congress).


Lesson Objectives

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Identify the key features of the House of Representatives.
  • Describe the roles and organization of leadership in the House of Representatives.
  • Examine the different types of committees and their structure in the House of Representatives.

The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: Government objective(s): 11, 11.2.

This lesson incorporates the following Literacy Standards: R1, R2, R4, R6, R7, R8, W1, W2, W4, W6, and W8.

 

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