Senate · legislative
People elect
100 senators in Congress.
- 2 per state · 6-year terms
- Makes laws with the House
- Confirms Cabinet department heads
All study guidesLearn the basics President nominatesSenate confirmsDepartment head serves
Cabinet vs. Senate
One writes the laws; the other advises the president. Learn who is who.
The Senate makes laws. The Cabinet gives advice.
Cabinet · executive
President chooses
The president’s team of advisers.
- Advises the president
- Department heads lead departments
- Examples: State, Defense, Treasury
A way to remember
S = Senate. C = Cabinet.
SSenate → State voters select
CCabinet → Chosen to advise
Voters elect senators. The president nominates department heads, and the Senate confirms them. The Cabinet is not part of Congress.
Try to remember
Who advises the president?
A little more detail
The one-line difference
Senators are elected by the people and make the laws. Cabinet secretaries are chosen by the president and advise him — they cannot make laws. If a test question asks who “advises the president,” the answer is the Cabinet; if it asks who “writes the laws,” the answer is Congress.
The Senate — elected lawmakers
Every state elects 2 senators to 6-year terms, giving all 100. Together with the House they form Congress, the legislative branch. Senators answer to the voters of their whole state — which is why they serve longer than House members: to be steadier and less swayed by passing opinion.
The Cabinet — the president's advisors
The Cabinet advises the president. Its members lead the major federal departments: Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Treasury, Attorney General, and more. They are not elected — the president picks them, and the Senate approves them. The Senate confirms, the Cabinet serves.
Memory trick
Senate = State voters select. Cabinet = Chosen to advise. The president nominates department heads, and the Senate confirms them. Senate members vote on legislation; Cabinet members do not vote on legislation as members of Congress.
Ready to practice?
This guide connects to 11 official questions.
Practice 10 questions