The Great Compromise gave Congress two houses with different rules on purpose, and checks and balances gave each house ways to check the other branches. Here are the two chambers side by side.
| House of Representatives | Senate | |
|---|---|---|
| Members | 435 voting members, by state population (plus six nonvoting members from D.C., Puerto Rico and four territories) | 100: two per state |
| Term | 2 years; all seats elected every two years | 6 years; about one-third elected every two years |
| Minimum age | 25 | 30 |
| Citizenship | 7 years a citizen | 9 years a citizen |
| Residence | an inhabitant of the state (not required to live in the district) | an inhabitant of the state |
| Chosen by | the voters of a district | the voters of the whole state (by state legislatures until the Seventeenth Amendment, 1913) |
| Leader | the Speaker | the Vice President (President of the Senate); in practice, the majority leader |
Why it works
Why make them different? The House was meant to be close to the people: short terms keep members answerable at every election. The Senate was meant to be steadier: older members, longer and staggered terms, chosen at first by state legislatures, would bring "stability" and a longer view (Federalist No. 62, Federalist No. 63). Anti-Federalists answered that the House was too small to know the people and the Senate too far from them (the House and the Senate in the ratification debate). Because of the staggered terms, two-thirds of the Senate always carries over from one Congress to the next.
Key idea
House: 435 members, 2-year terms, at least 25, 7 years a citizen. Senate: 100 members, two per state, 6-year terms with a third elected every two years, at least 30, 9 years a citizen.
Worked example: Is she eligible?
Ana is 28, has been a citizen for 8 years and lives in the state. Can she serve in the House? In the Senate?
- House: 25 or older (yes, 28) and 7 years a citizen (yes, 8). Eligible.
- Senate: 30 or older (no, 28). Not eligible yet, even though her 8 years of citizenship would also fall short of 9.
Answer: House yes; Senate no.
Worked example: Counting a state's delegation
A state has 9 House seats. How many members of Congress does it have in all?
- Every state has 2 senators.
- 9 representatives + 2 senators = 11.
Answer: 11 (which is also its number of electoral votes).
Common mistake
Mixing up the terms and the ages. House: 2-year terms, age 25, 7 years a citizen. Senate: 6-year terms, age 30, 9 years a citizen. Memory aid: the Senate has the bigger number every time.