Major Field Test: Political Science Questions and
Answers|Updated 2026/27| Guaranteed Pass
Plato
Apology, Crito and the republic
Aristotle
Wrote politics
Hobbes
The Leviathan
Locke
Second Treatise of Government
Rousseau
The social contract
Marx
Communist Manifesto
Machiavelli
The Prince
Politics and government
laws and how society is run under it's leaders. Politics can influence government policies.
,Authoritarian
A government in which one leader or group of people holds absolute power.
Democracy
A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to
represent them. There is direct and representative democracy. There are certain freedoms and
rights that are expected in a proper democracy.
Confederal Government System
Government in which local units hold all the powers
Federal government system
a political system in which power is shared between the national and local governments,
including executive, legislative, and judicial branches
Unitary government system
central government holds nearly all the power. A central agency has all the power.
Feudalism
A political system in which nobles are granted the use of lands that legally belong to their king,
in exchange for their loyalty, military service, and protection of the people who live on the land.
This was the dominant social system in Medieval Europe.
Declaration of Independence
the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776)
asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain. Inspired by John Locke that
people should have life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
, Constitutional Convention
A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution. There were many different
plans introduced by federalist and anti-federalists. Such as the Virginia plan (strong national
government with three branches) and new jersey plan (protect the smaller states by giving
every state one vote in congress. The great compromise ( represented both small and large
states by creating two houses in congress) and the three-fifths compromise (3/5 of the slave
population counted for determining direct taxation.
The Federalist Papers
A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under
the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail. Federalist 10: Strong federal
government can protect liberty. Called it a "faction". Federalist 51 addresses different checks
and balances that can create a helpful separation of powers within the national government.
Ratification process of the US constitution
Delegates had to go back to states, state voted to ratify it or not. 9 of 13 needed to ratify it. Bill
of Rights added to get last states to ratify.
Amendment process of the US constitution
An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both Houses of Congress, or, if two-
thirds of the States request one, by a convention called for that purpose. The amendment must
then be ratified by three-fourths of the State legislatures, or three-fourths of conventions called
in each State for ratification
The bill of rights
The first ten amendments to the Constitution.
Incorporation of the bill of rights
Answers|Updated 2026/27| Guaranteed Pass
Plato
Apology, Crito and the republic
Aristotle
Wrote politics
Hobbes
The Leviathan
Locke
Second Treatise of Government
Rousseau
The social contract
Marx
Communist Manifesto
Machiavelli
The Prince
Politics and government
laws and how society is run under it's leaders. Politics can influence government policies.
,Authoritarian
A government in which one leader or group of people holds absolute power.
Democracy
A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to
represent them. There is direct and representative democracy. There are certain freedoms and
rights that are expected in a proper democracy.
Confederal Government System
Government in which local units hold all the powers
Federal government system
a political system in which power is shared between the national and local governments,
including executive, legislative, and judicial branches
Unitary government system
central government holds nearly all the power. A central agency has all the power.
Feudalism
A political system in which nobles are granted the use of lands that legally belong to their king,
in exchange for their loyalty, military service, and protection of the people who live on the land.
This was the dominant social system in Medieval Europe.
Declaration of Independence
the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776)
asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain. Inspired by John Locke that
people should have life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
, Constitutional Convention
A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution. There were many different
plans introduced by federalist and anti-federalists. Such as the Virginia plan (strong national
government with three branches) and new jersey plan (protect the smaller states by giving
every state one vote in congress. The great compromise ( represented both small and large
states by creating two houses in congress) and the three-fifths compromise (3/5 of the slave
population counted for determining direct taxation.
The Federalist Papers
A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under
the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail. Federalist 10: Strong federal
government can protect liberty. Called it a "faction". Federalist 51 addresses different checks
and balances that can create a helpful separation of powers within the national government.
Ratification process of the US constitution
Delegates had to go back to states, state voted to ratify it or not. 9 of 13 needed to ratify it. Bill
of Rights added to get last states to ratify.
Amendment process of the US constitution
An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of both Houses of Congress, or, if two-
thirds of the States request one, by a convention called for that purpose. The amendment must
then be ratified by three-fourths of the State legislatures, or three-fourths of conventions called
in each State for ratification
The bill of rights
The first ten amendments to the Constitution.
Incorporation of the bill of rights
