Congressional Districts of TN

1. Congressional Districts of TN

2. Important Vocabulary: • Congressional District:an electoral division of a U.S. state, entitled to send one member to the US House of Representatives • Reapportionment-the process by which 435 seats in Congress are assigned to 50 states, following the census

3. Redistricting-To divide again into districts, especially to give new boundaries to administrative or election districts. Gerrymandering-indrawing the boundaries of electoral districts in a way that gives one party an advantage over its rivals. Important Vocabulary

4. Government Review • Government is an institution to maintain order and stability in society. • No Government= ANARCHY (absence of government. No order.

5. United States Government Review • The government of the United States is a federal republic with a strong democratic tradition. • Federal: a union of states under a central government. States still have some power. • Republic: a government where citizens have power by voting.

6. United States Government Review • In a federal system, powers are divided between levels of government. FEDERAL STATE COUNTY CITY/LOCAL

7. United States Government Review • U.S. Government Divided into 3 branches • Legislative: Make Laws (Congress) • Bicameral Legislature (2 Houses) • House of Representatives • Senate • Judicial: Interpret Laws (Supreme Court) • Executive: Enforce Laws (President)

8. US Government • Senators:50 total • House of Representatives: 435 total seats. • How are these numbers determined?

9. Number of seats • Senate: each state gets 2 Senators. • 2 x 50=100 total Senators • House of Representatives: based on population. • 435 total seats across the United States • Each state gets at least one. • The higher the population of a state, the more representatives that state gets.

10. How is population counted? • Census: Every 10 years • The main purpose of the census is to determine how many seats each state receives. • This is known as apportionment. • As populations change or shift, reapportionment may be necessary.

11. Congressional Districts of TN • TN has 9 congressional districts. • All districts are equal in population, NOT in size.

13. Population Density • Since each district has the same population: • The smaller the district the higher the population density. • The larger the district the lower the population density. • Population Density: # of people per square mile.

14. TN’s most populated cities: • Memphis: 655,155 • Nashville: 624,496 • Knoxville: 182,200 • Chattanooga: 171,279 • Clarksville: 142,519 • Murfreesboro: 114,038 • Jackson: 67,265

15. Who draws the lines? • Congressional district lines are drawn by each state’s legislature, not by the Federal government. • Very political! • Gerrymandering: drawing lines to benefit one political party.

16. Gerrymandering http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcUDBgYodIE

17. What will happen to the congressional districts if… • Nashville becomes the most populated city in TN and Memphis becomes the second most populated city?

18. What will happen to the congressional districts if… • The congressional district around Memphis would get larger, and the district containing Nashville would get smaller.

19. What will happen to the congressional districts if… • Tennessee’s population grows according the next Census and earns an additional seat in the House of Representatives.

20. What will happen to the congressional districts if… • Reapportionment must occur to redraw congressional district lines in order to keep them the same in population NOT size.

21. What will happen to the congressional districts if… • Tennessee’s population decreases and we lose a seat.

22. What will happen to the congressional districts if… • Reapportionment must occur to redraw congressional district lines in order to keep them the same in population NOT size.