Why does the senate seating assignment partition Democrats and Repulicans??

Question

I was just doing a little internet reading on senate.gov and clicked on the map of of the chamber (http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/art/special/Desks/chambermap.cfm). My first reaction was to wonder why Democrats and Republicans are seated on different halves of the chamber? I guess I assumed that the seating would be fairly random. I wonder what effect this physical division of congress has on party divisions, if any.

So, does anyone know why the seating assignment divides the parties?

Answer 1

Simple, seniority.

Answer 2

It goes back to the tradition established in the British Parliament There the Government (members of the governing party) sit on the speaker's rightside and the opposition sit on his left side. Congress adopted this same setup with the Republicans sitting on the rightside of the chamber (the president or speaker's left) and Democrats on the left.

In the Senate seats are assigned by seniority (though Ted Kennedy sits in back, because the desk once belonged to his brother John). In the House there are no assigned seats (members sit on benches) so they may sit anywhere on their side of the asle.

Answer 3

Well I assume its to encourage solidarity within a party, but you tell me.

Answer 4

Maybe to keep them from beating each other up? ;)