Membership & Basics
How many Senators are there total?
100
Which branch of Congress ratifies treaties?
The Senate
A tactic where Senators delay a vote by speaking for a long time.
Filibuster
How many votes are needed for cloture?
60
Which treaty did the Senate reject in 1919, keeping the U.S. out of the League of Nations?
Treaty of Versailles
How long is a Senator’s term?
6 years
What fraction of the Senate is needed to ratify a treaty?
2/3
A vote requiring 60 Senators to end debate.
Cloture
Who holds the record for the longest one-person filibuster?
Strom Thurmond (24+ hours, 1957)
Which group of Senators refused to compromise on the Treaty of Versailles?
The “Irreconcilables”
What fraction of the Senate is up for election every 2 years?
1/3
What is the Senate’s role in impeachment?
Holds trial; 2/3 vote needed to convict
To formally approve a treaty or amendment.
Ratify
Which civil rights law was delayed by a 57-day filibuster before cloture ended it?
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Which President had a stroke while trying to get Senate support for the Treaty of Versailles?
Woodrow Wilson
What are the 3 qualifications to be a Senator?
30 years old, U.S. citizen for 9 years, resident of state represented
Who confirms presidential appointments such as judges and ambassadors?
The Senate
The agreement creating a bicameral Congress with the Senate and House.
The Great Compromise
Name one pro and one con of the filibuster.
Pro = protects minority party rights; Con = causes gridlock
Which amendment allowed Senators to be directly elected by the people instead of state legislatures?
17th Amendment (1913)
Why did the Framers give every state 2 Senators regardless of size?
To protect small states’ interests (Great Compromise)
Which Senate committee is especially powerful in shaping U.S. foreign policy?
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
The presiding officer of the Senate when the Vice President is absent.
President Pro Tempore
True/False: The House of Representatives also allows filibusters
False (only the Senate allows unlimited debate)
Which three Presidents have been impeached and tried in the Senate?
Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump