Senate
100 senators
Equal seats for every state.
- 2 senators per state
- 6-year terms
- Represents the whole state
All study guidesLearn the basics
Congress by the numbers
100 senators, 435 representatives — who serves how long, and why it's built that way.
Senate + House = Congress
House of Representatives
435 voting members
More people → more representatives.
- Seats based on population
- 2-year terms
- Represents a district
A way to remember
Senate: 2–100–6. House: 435–2.
2Senators per state
100Senators in total
6Years in a Senate term
435Voting House members
2Years in a House term
S in Senate, S in Six. Both parts work together to make federal laws.
Try to remember
Which part of Congress has 6-year terms?
A little more detail
The Senate — 100
Every state gets exactly 2 senators, so 100 total. This gives small states equal representation — that was the Great Compromise. Senators serve 6-year terms and represent all the people of their state. Citizens of the state elect them.
The House — 435
The House of Representatives has 435 voting members. States with more people get more representatives. Members serve short 2-year terms so they closely follow public opinion, and each represents the people of their congressional district.
Memory trick
Senate: 2 per state, 100 total, 6 years. S in Senate, S in Six. House: 435 voting members, 2 years. Senate + House = Congress, which writes federal laws.
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This guide connects to 18 official questions.
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