Originally Posted by anthonyb

The bicameral legislature is also designed to reflect two competing interests of representative democracy: ensuring that the people's voices are heard, without compromising the ability to make decisions in the best interest of the country in the long term.

Hence the House of Representatives, with members who are elected to 2-year terms by small districts - thus more likely to have a finger on the pulse of their respective constituencies.

And then again the Senate, with members elected to 6-year terms in relatively large districts - more likely to result in the preservation of institutional knowledge, and with some insulation from the political whims of the electorate.