www abdopublishing com Published by Abdo Publishing a division of ABDO PO Box 398166 Minneapolis Minnesota 55439 Copyright 2015 by Abdo Consulting Group Inc International copyrights reserved in all countries No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher Core Library is a trademark and logo of Abdo Publishing Printed in the United States of America North Mankato Minnesota 092014 012015 Cover Photo iStockphoto Thinkstock Interior Photos Library of Congress 4 7 Thinkstock 9 17 28 32 38 45 Photos com Thinkstock 12 Georgios Art Thinkstock 15 36 Luis Alvarez AP Images 20 J Scott Applewhite AP Images 24 Purestock Thinkstock 30 Background Land Shutterstock Images 34 Editor Heather C Hudak Series Designer Becky Daum Library of Congress Control Number 2014944236 Cataloging-in-Publication Data Petersen Christine How the legislative branch works Christine Petersen p cm How the US government works ISBN 978-1-62403-637-8 lib bdg Includes bibliographical references and index 1 United States Congress Juvenile literature 2 United States Politics and government Juvenile literature I Title 328 dc23 2014944236
CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE Working for a Better United States 4 CHAPTER TWO The Houses of Congress 12 CHAPTER THREE How a Bill Becomes Law 20 CHAPTER FOUR Government Closer to Home 28 CHAPTER FIVE The Legislative System and You 34 Important Dates 42 Stop and Think 44 Glossary 46 Learn More 47 Index 48 About the Author 48
5 CHAPTER ONE Children worked long hours in a variety of jobs including shucking oysters and tending babies Have you ever wished you did not have to go to school Maybe you find it hard to sit indoors on a beautiful day Or you wake up tired and want to sleep in Today every state requires children to be educated for at least ten years But that has not always been the case In 1900 about 2 million kids did not attend school Working for a Better United States
