House of Representatives
A house is a form of dwelling. It may range from a rudimentary hut to a complex building of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. A typical modern house will have one or more bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen or cooking area and a living room. Houses are built with doors and locks to secure the inhabitants and their possessions from trespassers and burglars, and roofs to keep precipitation (such as rain) out.
A person may own a house or live in one as a tenant or occupant. Alternatively, houses may be built by government agencies for the purpose of renting or providing shelter to those who are homeless. Houses can also serve as offices or schools. People who own their homes can enjoy the benefits of privacy and security, freedom to make changes to the property as they see fit, and the ability to pass on the home to their descendants.
The term house can also refer to a community of residents, as well as the political entity known as the House of Representatives. The Constitution of the United States sets out the qualifications and powers of the House of Representatives, including its structure and procedures.
The Speaker of the House is elected by the Members of the House, and is the chief leader of the majority party in the House. In addition to the speaker, the House has Majority and Minority Leaders, who are elected by their parties’ members to represent their interests in negotiating legislative agendas with other committee leaders. The House has many standing committees, and it also creates temporary committees to study particular issues. The House also appoints members to joint committees that oversee independent government bodies, for example the Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.
A House has several officials who are not Members of the House, most notably the clerk, who maintains public records and prepares documents. The clerk also supervises junior officials, including pages until they were discontinued in 2011. At the beginning of each Congress, the clerk presides over the House until a new speaker is elected.
The house of a person, family or group can symbolize their identity. This can be reflected in the decoration and furnishings of the house, as well as the way it is maintained. For instance, a lavish and expensive house may be seen as evidence of conspicuous wealth, whereas a house constructed using recycled materials might indicate an ecological sensibility. In some cases, the house may have special historical significance and be commemorated with plaques or other markers. Similarly, the architectural style of a house can reflect its builders and their circumstances, for example, the prevailing forms and styles of a particular period. Hence, each house has its own story to tell. This article provides a step-by-step guide for researching the history of your own house, or those around you. It draws on the rich archival and on-line resources available in Boston and beyond to offer advice for learning about the history of your own or someone else’s house.