US Congress for Kids: Over 200 Years of Lawmaking, Deal-Breaking, and Compromising, with 21 Activities
can becomes the first African American to serve in Congress 1897 Library of Congress building opens 1906 Congress passes the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act establishing gov ernment regulation over the food industry 1913 The 16th Amendment to the Constitution authorizing an income tax becomes the law of the land 1913 The 17th Amendment to the Constitution authorizing the direct election of senators becomes the law of the land 1916 Jeannette Rankin of Montana becomes the first woman elected to Congress 1919 The 18th Amendment to the Constitution prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages becomes the law of the land 1920 With the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution women are allowed to vote in national elections 1932 Hattie Wyatt Caraway of Arkansas becomes the first woman to enter the Senate by election 1933 The 21st Amendment is passed nullifying the 18th Amendment 1953 Joseph McCarthy chairs a Senate committee on communist influence in the government 1957 Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina speaks for more than 24 hours
attempting to filibuster block the 1957 Civil Rights Act 1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 passes Congress 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 passes Con gress 1969 Shirley Chisholm is sworn in as the first black woman to be elected to Congress 1991 Clarence Thomas is confirmed as a US Supreme Court justice 1995 The Republican Party wins control of both houses of Congress for the first time since 1954 1998 The House of Representatives votes to impeach President Bill Clinton 1999 The Senate votes to acquit President Clinton of charges in his impeachment 2001 Al Qaeda terrorists crash three planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sep tember 11 2002 Congress passes a joint resolution to authorize the use of US armed forces against Iraq 2005 Congress begins investigation of performance enhancing drugs in American sports 2007 Nancy Pelosi becomes the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives 2009 Barack Obama is inaugurated installed as America's first black president
2010 Republicans gain control of the House of Rep resentatives 2013 Congress allows automatic budget cuts known as the sequester to go into effect on January 3 2013 October 1 government shuts down as Con gress fails to reach spending agreement 2014 April 2 the Supreme Court strikes down cam paign donor limitations wealthy individuals are now able to give a total of 3 6 million to congressional candidates SCHEN
