How did Niccolo Machiavelli influence political science?

I am doing a socials project and we are pretending to make a renaissance time capsule. I need to write about, art, writing, religion, science, music, and politics. I already am done all of them except politics and religion. For politics I have to write about Niccolo Machiavelli and how he changed politics back then and how it have effected our politics. Any ideas? I also need to think of something to put in the time capsule that represents Machiavelli. So, how did Niccolo Machiavelli influence political science? And uh.. this is due tomorrow. Please help me.