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The House of Commons is the name of the elected lower house
Lower house

A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its theoretical position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power....
 of the bicameral parliament
Parliament

A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom....
s of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 and Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
.

In the UK and Canada, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the upper house
Upper house

An upper house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house....
 of parliament (the House of Lords
House of Lords

The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords". The Parliament comprises the British monarchy, the British House of Commons , and the Lords....
 and the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate

The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Canadian monarchy and the Canadian House of Commons. The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the Governor General of Canada on the Advice of the Prime Minister of Canada....
, respectively). The leader of the majority party in the House of Commons usually becomes the prime minister
Prime minister

A prime minister is the most senior minister of Cabinet in the Executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. The position is usually held by, but need not always be held by, a politician....
. Since 2005, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom has had 646 elected members; this will increase to 650 at the next General Election.






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Timeline

1647   In England, letter from the Agitators of the New Model Army, protesting delay of pay, is read in the House of Commons

1742   Robert Walpole was elevated to the peerage and thus moved from the House of Commons to the House of Lords, effectively ending his reign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (see February 16, above).

1900   The House of Commons vote of censure over the Britain's handling of the Second Boer War is defeated by a majority of 213

1901   Winston Churchill enters the House of Commons

1910   British House of Commons passes David Lloyd George's (1909) 'People's Budget' for second time; passed by House of Lords, 28 April

1917   World War I: The Military Service Act is passed in the Canadian House of Commons giving the Canadian government the right to conscript men into the army.

1918   December 28 — Constance Markiewicz becomes the first woman elected to the House of Commons.

1940   Winston Churchill, in his first address as Prime Minister, tells the House of Commons, "I have nothing to offer you but blood, toil, tears, and sweat."

1940   Winston Churchill warns the House of Commons to, "...prepare itself for hard and heavy tidings."

1940   Winston Churchill speaks to the House of Commons: "...the Battle of France is over. The Battle of Britain is about to begin."







Encyclopedia


The House of Commons is the name of the elected lower house
Lower house

A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its theoretical position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power....
 of the bicameral parliament
Parliament

A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom....
s of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 and Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
.

In the UK and Canada, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the upper house
Upper house

An upper house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house....
 of parliament (the House of Lords
House of Lords

The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords". The Parliament comprises the British monarchy, the British House of Commons , and the Lords....
 and the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate

The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Canadian monarchy and the Canadian House of Commons. The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the Governor General of Canada on the Advice of the Prime Minister of Canada....
, respectively). The leader of the majority party in the House of Commons usually becomes the prime minister
Prime minister

A prime minister is the most senior minister of Cabinet in the Executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. The position is usually held by, but need not always be held by, a politician....
. Since 2005, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom has had 646 elected members; this will increase to 650 at the next General Election. The Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons

The House of Commons is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Canadian monarchy and the Senate of Canada. The House of Commons is a democracy elected body, consisting of 40th Canadian Parliament known as Members of Parliament ....
 has 308 members. The Commons' functions are to consider through debate new laws and changes to existing ones, authorise taxes, and provide scrutiny of the policy and expenditure of the Government. It has the power to give a Government a vote of no confidence.

Historically, there have also been Houses of Commons in Ireland
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
 and North Carolina
North Carolina

North Carolina is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north....
 (United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
).

History and naming


The British House of Commons was created to serve as the political power base and voice for the common people, originally selected from the business and merchant classes of each local area to represent all the Sovereign's subjects who were not Lords Temporal or Spiritual. These estates are represented in the House of Lords
House of Lords

The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords". The Parliament comprises the British monarchy, the British House of Commons , and the Lords....
. The House of Commons was thus elected while members of the upper house were derived from hereditary title and descent, family lineage, or a service to the realm that warranted special recognition, such as the Law and Spiritual Lords.

Throughout their histories, the British and Canadian Houses of Commons have become increasingly representative, as suffrage
Suffrage

Suffrage is the civil right to vote, or the exercise of that right. In that context, it is also called political franchise or simply the franchise....
 has been extended. Both bodies are now elected via universal adult suffrage
Universal suffrage

Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the Suffrage to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and noncitizens....
. In both countries, the House of Commons may be prorogued
Parliamentary session

A legislative session is the period of time when a legislature is convened for the purpose of lawmaking. Legislatures plan their business using a legislative calendar....
 for election only by the Crown, represented outside of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 by the Governor General of each Commonwealth
Commonwealth

The England noun commonwealth dates from the fifteenth century. The original phrase "common-wealth" or "the common weal" comes from the old meaning of "wealth," which is "well-being." The term literally meant "common well-being." Thus commonwealth originally meant a state or nation-state governed for the common good as opposed to an autho...
 Nation.

Specific bodies


Although it is common to associate the title of "House of Commons" with the Westminster system
Westminster System

The Westminster system is a Democracy parliamentary system of government modelled after the British government . The term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the UK Parliament....
 in general, in practice, only two states actually use the title. They are:

  • The House of Commons of the United Kingdom (at the Palace of Westminster
    Palace of Westminster

    The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, in London, is where the two Houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom meet....
    , London
    London

    London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
    )
  • The Canadian House of Commons
    Canadian House of Commons

    The House of Commons is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Canadian monarchy and the Senate of Canada. The House of Commons is a democracy elected body, consisting of 40th Canadian Parliament known as Members of Parliament ....
     (on Parliament Hill
    Parliament Hill

    File:Model of Parliament Hill.jpgParliament Hill is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario....
    , in Ottawa
    Ottawa

    Ottawa is the Capital of Canada. The city has population of 812,000, the List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population municipality in the country and second largest in Ontario....
    )


Three historical bodies have used this name in Ireland
Ireland

Ireland is the List of islands by area in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islet....
 as well, they are:

  • House of Commons of Ireland
    Irish House of Commons

    The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the Irish House of Lords....
     (abolished in 1801)
  • House of Commons of Southern Ireland
    House of Commons of Southern Ireland

    House of Commons of Southern Ireland was the lower house of the Ireland parliament created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, passed in 1920, during the Irish War of Independence....
     (1921–1922)
  • House of Commons of Northern Ireland
    House of Commons of Northern Ireland

    The House of Commons of Northern Ireland was the lower house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created under the Government of Ireland Act, 1920....
     (1921–1972)


The lower house
Lower house

A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its theoretical position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power....
 of the General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly

The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes....
 of North Carolina
North Carolina

North Carolina is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north....
 was also known as the House of Commons between 1760 and 1868.

See also


Irishhc1780
  • House of Lords
    House of Lords

    The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords". The Parliament comprises the British monarchy, the British House of Commons , and the Lords....
  • Lower House
    Lower house

    A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its theoretical position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power....
  • House of Assembly
    House of Assembly

    House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral legislature, in some countries, often at subnational level....
  • Legislative Assembly
    Legislative Assembly

    Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its chambers of parliament. The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as in a number of Latin American countries....
  • National Assembly
    National Assembly

    The National Assembly is either a legislature, or the lower house of a bicameral legislature in some countries. The best known National Assembly, and the first legislature to be known by this title, was that established during the French Revolution in 1789, known as the National Assembly ....
  • Lok Sabha
    Lok Sabha

    The Lok Sabha is the direct election lower house of the Parliament of India. As of 2008 there have been fourteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India....
  • House of Representatives
    House of Representatives

    House of Representatives is the name of any of many legislature in many countries and sub-national states. In some countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameralism legislature, with the corresponding upper house often called a "senate"....