From Ancient Greeks to American Behavioralism

Who is credited with establishing the emphasis of modern political science on direct empirical observation of political institutions and actors?

During which era did political science become an applied science that was welcomed as a way to apply expertise to the problems of governance?

Which professional association is the largest for political scientists?

What is behavioralism in political science?

Which concept was the most important theoretical concept used by American political scientists since the 1950s?

Which of the following is not one of the six classical schools of thought in Chinese philosophy?

What is the relationship between political science in Canadian universities and British-trained scholars?

What did the rise of monotheism and Christianity bring to light during the Middle Ages?

What did the Enlightenment era help pave the way for in terms of policies?

A Brief History of Political Science

Political science has been studied for centuries, but the term was not always distinguished from political philosophy.
The antecedents of Western politics can be traced back to the Socratic political philosophers, such as Aristotle.
The rise of monotheism and, particularly for the Western tradition, Christianity brought to light a new space for politics and political action during the Middle Ages.
During the Italian Renaissance, Niccolò Machiavelli established the emphasis of modern political science on direct empirical observation of political institutions and actors.
The Enlightenment era helped pave the way for policies that emphasized a need for a separation of church and state.
In the Progressive Era in the United States (1890s-1920s), political science became not only a prestigious university curriculum but also an applied science that was welcomed as a way to apply expertise to the problems of governance.
The American Political Science Association, established in 1903, is the largest professional association of political scientists.
Behavioralism is an empirical approach which emerged in the 1930s in the United States.
The concept of system was the most important theoretical concept used by American political scientists since the 1950s.
Canadian universities until the 1950s were led by British-trained scholars for whom political science was not a high priority.
Political science operates on a smaller scale in European universities compared to American ones.
Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, and Mohism are part of the six classical schools of thought in Chinese philosophy and dominated Chinese political philosophy during the Imperial Period.

Test your knowledge of political science with our quiz on the history of the field. From the ancient Greeks to modern American behavioralism, this quiz covers key moments and concepts in political science history. Challenge yourself on topics ranging from Machiavelli to Confucianism and see how much you know about the evolution of political theory and practice. Perfect for students of political science or anyone interested in the history of politics.