A country has an elected president with real powers and also a prime minister and cabinet who answer to the legislature. What is this arrangement called?Wikipedia, Semi-presidential republic (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 001 (political science terms and forms of government).
A head of government holds office only while a majority of the legislature supports her, and she answers to that legislature. Which system of government is this?Wikipedia, Parliamentary system (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 001 (political science terms and forms of government).
A researcher counts how often each party's platform has used the word "immigration" in every election year since 1980. Which research technique is this?Wikipedia, Content analysis (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 002 (research and interpretation of information).
A student wants the exact words a senator spoke on the Senate floor during a 2019 debate. Which source is the official one?U.S. Government Publishing Office, govinfo: About the Congressional Record (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 002 (research and interpretation of information).
Show all 50 questions (46 more)
Political science concepts and skills, continued
A survey of 800 randomly selected voters shows a ballot proposal ahead, 51 percent to 49 percent, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 points. What may a reporter fairly write?The answer rests on the text printed in the question and on the wording of the objective (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 002 (research and interpretation of information).
People in a country obey its laws mainly because they accept that the government has the right to rule, not because they fear punishment. Which concept does this describe?Wikipedia, Legitimacy (political) (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 001 (political science terms and forms of government).
Which document did France's National Constituent Assembly adopt in 1789 to set out rights it held to be universal?Wikipedia, Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 001 (political science terms and forms of government).
Which idea from John Locke's Two Treatises of Government reappears in the American Declaration of Independence?Wikipedia, Two Treatises of Government (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 001 (political science terms and forms of government).
Foundations and operation of U.S. government 20
The 1848 Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments states that "all men and women are created equal." Which earlier document did its authors use as a model?Wikipedia, Declaration of Sentiments (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 003 (fundamental principles of U.S. government).
A federal agency publishes a rule in the Code of Federal Regulations that limits a pollutant. Which source of law is this?Wikipedia, Code of Federal Regulations (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 004 (the U.S. legal system).
A grand jury finds enough evidence to put a person on trial for a felony. What is the formal charge it issues?United States Courts, Glossary of Legal Terms (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 004 (the U.S. legal system).
A group wants to amend the Michigan Constitution by petition. How many signatures of registered electors must the petition carry?Michigan Legislature, Constitution of Michigan of 1963, Article XII, Section 2 (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 006 (state and local government and Michigan).
A person held in jail asks a judge to order the jailer to bring him to court and show a lawful reason for holding him. Which writ is he seeking?Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute, habeas corpus (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 004 (the U.S. legal system).
A president claims executive privilege and refuses to give a federal court tape recordings subpoenaed for a criminal trial. Which precedent governs, and what does it require?Wikipedia, United States v. Nixon (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 003 (fundamental principles of U.S. government).
An agency wants to pay for a new program with Treasury funds that Congress never voted. Which rule of the Constitution stands in the way?National Archives, The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 005 (the federal government).
How do justices reach the Michigan Supreme Court, and for how long?Michigan Legislature, Constitution of Michigan of 1963, Article VI, Section 2 (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 006 (state and local government and Michigan).
How many votes does it take to invoke cloture and end debate on most questions in the U.S. Senate?United States Senate, About Filibusters and Cloture (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 005 (the federal government).
In Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), a New York steamboat monopoly was challenged. What did the Supreme Court hold?Wikipedia, Gibbons v. Ogden (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 003 (fundamental principles of U.S. government).
The Michigan Constitution puts one question before the voters automatically every 16 years. What is it?Michigan Legislature, Constitution of Michigan of 1963, Article XII, Section 3 (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 006 (state and local government and Michigan).
NATO has invoked Article 5 of its treaty once, after the attacks of September 11, 2001. What principle does that article state?NATO, Collective defence and Article 5 (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 007 (international relations and U.S. foreign policy).
On the last day of its session Congress passes a bill and goes home. Ten days later, Sundays excepted, the president has still not signed it. What is this outcome called?Wikipedia, Pocket veto (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 005 (the federal government).
Police obtain evidence through a search that violates the Fourth Amendment. Under Mapp v. Ohio (1961), what happens to that evidence in a state criminal trial?Wikipedia, Mapp v. Ohio (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 004 (the U.S. legal system).
Under Article V of the Michigan Constitution, what may the governor do with an appropriation bill short of rejecting all of it?Michigan Legislature, Constitution of Michigan of 1963, Article V, Section 19 (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 006 (state and local government and Michigan).
Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, what must a president do after sending armed forces into hostilities without a declaration of war?Wikipedia, War Powers Resolution (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 007 (international relations and U.S. foreign policy).
When ratification of the Constitution was in danger in Massachusetts, what concession did its supporters make?National Archives, The Bill of Rights: How Did it Happen? (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 003 (fundamental principles of U.S. government).
Which claim is central to the realist theory of international relations?Wikipedia, Realism (international relations) (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 007 (international relations and U.S. foreign policy).
Which courts are the trial courts of the federal system, where cases are first heard and facts are found?United States Courts, Court Role and Structure (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 005 (the federal government).
Which statement of U.S. policy pledged political, military and economic help to democratic nations threatened by authoritarian forces from outside or within?U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian, The Truman Doctrine, 1947 (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 007 (international relations and U.S. foreign policy).
The political process and U.S. citizenship 7
A lawful permanent resident with no U.S. citizen spouse and no military service wants to naturalize. In general, how long must she have held that status?U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, I am a Lawful Permanent Resident of 5 Years (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 009 (rights and responsibilities of citizenship).
A three-way race leaves no candidate with a majority of electoral votes, so the House chooses the president. How many votes does a state with 13 representatives cast?National Archives, Electoral College: Frequently Asked Questions (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 008 (political parties and the electoral process).
A voter registered with no party is turned away from a party's primary in her state. Across the state line she could have voted in that party's primary. Which kinds of primary do the two states hold?USA.gov, Presidential primaries and caucuses (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 008 (political parties and the electoral process).
After each census the 435 seats of the U.S. House are divided again among the 50 states. What is this process called?U.S. Census Bureau, About Congressional Apportionment (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 008 (political parties and the electoral process).
Which amendment barred the use of a poll tax as a condition of voting in federal elections?National Archives, The Constitution: Amendments 11-27 (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 008 (political parties and the electoral process).
Which of these is a legal obligation rather than a voluntary act of citizenship?Selective Service System, Who Needs to Register (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 009 (rights and responsibilities of citizenship).
Which provision first wrote a definition of national citizenship into the Constitution, one that covers persons born or naturalized in the United States?National Archives, The Constitution: Amendments 11-27 (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 009 (rights and responsibilities of citizenship).
Interdisciplinary perspectives 15
A city bans amplified music in parks after 10 p.m. Musicians object that the rule limits their expression; neighbors say they need quiet to sleep. Which pair of core democratic values is in tension?The answer rests on the text printed in the question and on the wording of the objective (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 013 (core democratic values and public policy questions).
A civics class has named a local problem and gathered information about it. By the steps listed in the test objective, what should the class do next?The answer rests on the text printed in the question and on the wording of the objective (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 013 (core democratic values and public policy questions).
A day of labor yields 8 radios or 4 bicycles in Country A, and 6 radios or 1 bicycle in Country B. Which conclusion holds?The answer rests on the text printed in the question and on the wording of the objective (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 012 (economics and political science).
A legislature draws a thin district that winds along a highway to gather one party's voters out of four separate cities. What is this use of political boundaries called?Wikipedia, Gerrymandering (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 011 (geography and political science).
An op-ed argues: "Every neighboring town has adopted a youth curfew, so ours should adopt one too." Which weakness should a reader notice?Wikipedia, Argumentum ad populum (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 013 (core democratic values and public policy questions).
Fishing boats from two countries crowd the same grounds 150 nautical miles off one country's coast. Taking the U.S. zone as the model, who has jurisdiction over the fish?NOAA National Ocean Service, What is the EEZ? (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 011 (geography and political science).
In a debate on a zoning proposal, a speaker says: "We should ignore her traffic study. She moved here only two years ago." Which flaw does this show?Wikipedia, Ad hominem (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 013 (core democratic values and public policy questions).
In an 1893 paper, Frederick Jackson Turner argued that one feature of American geography had been decisive in shaping the nation's democracy. Which feature?Wikipedia, Frontier Thesis (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 011 (geography and political science).
Two countries dispute whether a tariff breaks an agreed trade rule. Which organization exists to deal with the rules by which nations trade?World Trade Organization, What is the WTO? (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 012 (economics and political science).
Which 1787 law chartered a government for the Northwest Territory, forbade slavery there and set a method for admitting new states?National Archives, Milestone Documents: Northwest Ordinance (1787) (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 010 (history and political science).
Which act of the English Parliament set limits on the powers of the monarch and guaranteed regular parliaments and free elections?Wikipedia, Bill of Rights 1689 (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 010 (history and political science).
Which amendment, ratified in 1913, provides that U.S. senators are elected by the people of each state?National Archives, The Constitution: Amendments 11-27 (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 010 (history and political science).
Which argument sets Keynesian economics apart from the view that markets quickly right themselves?Wikipedia, Keynesian economics (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 012 (economics and political science).
Who sat in the assembly of democratic Athens?Wikipedia, Athenian democracy (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 010 (history and political science).
Who sets fiscal policy in the United States?Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, What is the difference between monetary policy and fiscal policy, and how are they related? (read 2026-10-13). Outline: MTTC Political Science (010) test objectives, objective 012 (economics and political science).
How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the test objectives of the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) field 010, Political Science, as the MTTC site prints them (https://www.mttc.nesinc.com/Content/STUDYGUIDE/MI_SG_obj_010.htm and the test page https://www.mttc.nesinc.com/TestView.aspx?f=HTML_FRAG/MI010_TestPage.html, read 2026-10-13): Political science concepts and skills, 15%; Foundations and operation of government in the United States, 40%; The political process and U.S. citizenship, 15%; Interdisciplinary perspectives, 30%; 100 multiple-choice questions, 2 hours 30 minutes of testing time, passing score 220. This bank holds 50 questions, spread 8, 20, 7, 15 over those subareas. Every fact was read on 2026-10-13 in the public page named under its question: the Constitution of Michigan of 1963 on the Michigan Legislature's site, the National Archives (the Constitution, its amendments, the Electoral College pages and the milestone documents), the United States Senate, the United States Courts, the Government Publishing Office, the Census Bureau, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Selective Service System, USA.gov, the State Department's Office of the Historian, the Federal Reserve Board, NOAA, NATO, the World Trade Organization, Cornell's Legal Information Institute, and the Wikipedia article named for each remaining question. 4 questions rest on the numbers or the set-up printed in the question and on the wording of the objective. Licence: Questions, passages, choices and explanations are original work of this site.
How it works
A free MTTC Political Science practice test: 50 questions of our own for field 010, as a practice round or a timed exam. It is unofficial, and this site is not affiliated with the Michigan Department of Education or Pearson.
Read the full guide
What field 010 weighs
By the test objectives read October 13, 2026: political science concepts and skills 15%; foundations and operation of government in the United States 40%; the political process and U.S. citizenship 15%; interdisciplinary perspectives 30%. This bank holds 8, 20, 7 and 15. The timed exam asks all 50 in 75 minutes, the real pace.
Michigan's constitution is on the test
Objective 006 covers the Michigan Constitution and state and local government. Four questions here are written from the Constitution of 1963 itself: the governor's item veto, amendment by petition, the convention question and the supreme court.
Where the answers come from
Each explanation names its page: the National Archives, the Michigan Legislature, the federal courts or a named Wikipedia article among them. Four rest on what the question itself prints.
Objectives 003 to 009 each end with a teaching task, so expect questions on how to teach and assess a concept.
Questions and answers
How long is the MTTC Political Science test?
The appointment is 2 hours 45 minutes. Of that, 15 minutes go to a tutorial and a nondisclosure agreement, which leaves 2 hours 30 minutes for 100 multiple-choice questions on a computer.
What score do you need to pass MTTC Political Science?
A scaled score of 220, on a scale of 100 to 300 whose passing mark the Michigan Department of Education sets. The test page lists endorsement code CD for the field.
What is on the MTTC Political Science test?
Thirteen objectives. Two cover concepts and research skills; five cover principles, the legal system, the federal government, state and local government, and foreign policy; two cover parties, elections and citizenship; four link the field to history, geography, economics and public policy.