lower house
Commons, not Lords
A lower house is the larger, more directly representative chamber in a bicameral legislature—one with two houses.
In the United States, the House of Representatives is the lower house; in Britain, the House of Commons.
The term reflects historical class distinctions: the lower house represented common citizens, while the upper house (Senate, House of Lords) represented aristocracy or states.
Despite the name, lower houses often hold significant power, particularly over budgets and revenue bills.
National legislative assembly
- commonsShared community resources
- deputiesAppointed subordinate representatives
- chamberEnclosed room or cavity
- bicameralHaving two chambers
legislature · assembly · representatives · congressmen · congresswomen · lawmakers · backbenchers · frontbenchers
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- debatesFormal argumentative exchanges
- committeesGroups delegated specific duties
- sessionsPeriods for specific activities
quorum · amendments · motions · readings · votes · cloture · filibuster · proceedings
Over half of total
- minoritySmaller part of whole
- caucusParty selection meeting
- whipStrikes or aerates
- coalitionTemporary alliance for action
opposition · ruling party · crossbenchers · independents · bloc · faction · party discipline · defection
Parts of a whole
- electorateEligible voting body
- votersThose who cast ballots
- districtsDefined administrative regions
- constituenciesElectoral regions or supporter groups
apportionment · redistricting · gerrymandering · census · reelection · campaigns · primaries · ballots
parliament
National legislative assembly
- commonsShared community resources
- deputiesAppointed subordinate representatives
- chamberEnclosed room or cavity
bicameral · legislature · assembly · representatives · congressmen · congresswomen · lawmakers · backbenchers · frontbenchers · speaker
bills
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- debatesFormal argumentative exchanges
- committeesGroups delegated specific duties
sessions · quorum · amendments · motions · readings · votes · cloture · filibuster · proceedings · deliberation
majority
Over half of total
coalition · opposition · ruling party · crossbenchers · independents · bloc · faction · party discipline · defection · confidence vote
constituents
Parts of a whole
- electorateEligible voting body
- votersThose who cast ballots
- districtsDefined administrative regions
constituencies · apportionment · redistricting · gerrymandering · census · reelection · campaigns · primaries · ballots · polling
- governing bodiesgoverning body, governing council, senate, board of directors, parliament
- government bodiesagency, bureau, legislature, department, ministry
- Canadian GovernmentSenate, Prime Minister, federal government, parliamentary democracy, Bank of Canada
- capitolscapitol, state capitol, statehouse, Capitol dome, Capitol Hill
- Irish PoliticsSinn Fein, TD, Independents, Green Party, Labour Party
- legislaturesparliament, legislature, senate, Senate, diet
house, lower, lowest, lowered, lowering, lowers, lower-class, upper house