What does "bicameral" mean?

What does "bicameral" mean?

• A. One house
• B. Two houses
• C. Three branches
• D. A unitary system

Answer: (B)

Bicameral means two chambers in a legislature. The word comes from bi- meaning two and camera meaning chamber. In a bicameral system, the lawmaking body is split into two separate houses, unlike a unicameral system which has just one. This setup often helps balance representation and provides check and debate across the lawmaking process. For example, in the United States, the Senate and the House of Representatives are the two houses, each with its own rules and ways of representing people or regions, and most laws need approval from both houses before becoming law.

Bicameral means two chambers in a legislature. The word comes from bi- meaning two and camera meaning chamber. In a bicameral system, the lawmaking body is split into two separate houses, unlike a unicameral system which has just one. This setup often helps balance representation and provides check and debate across the lawmaking process. For example, in the United States, the Senate and the House of Representatives are the two houses, each with its own rules and ways of representing people or regions, and most laws need approval from both houses before becoming law.