The Role and History of the Electoral College

The video explains the U.S. Electoral College system, where citizens vote for electors who then vote for the president. Each state has a number of electors based on its congressional representation. The system was created as a compromise during the 1787 Constitutional Convention to balance influence between populous and smaller states. Most states use a winner-takes-all approach, where the candidate with the most votes in a state receives all its electoral votes. The video also includes a review section with questions to reinforce learning.

How many electors are there in total in the Electoral College?

• 255

• 100

• 538

• 380

What determines the number of electors each state has in the Electoral College?

• Both the number of senators and representatives from that state

• The number of representatives in the House from that state

• The number of voters in that state

• The number of senators from that state

Which system do most states use to allocate their electors' votes?

• Proportional representation

• Direct election

• Winner-takes-all

• Random selection

Who was responsible for creating the Electoral College?

• George Washington

• Members of the 1st Congress

• None of the above

• Members of the Constitutional Convention

Why was the Electoral College system created?

• To allow direct election by citizens

• To give state legislatures full control over presidential elections

• As a compromise between direct election and state legislature control

• To simplify the election process