The scandal began early in the morning of june 17, 1972, when several burglars were arrested in the office of the democratic national committee, located in the watergate complex of. Discuss the reasons why nixons leadership was known as an imperial presidency. The watergate scandal created a constitutional crisis second only to the civil war of more than a century earlier and resulted in the first presidential resignation in u. Arguably the greatest political scandal of twentiethcentury america, the watergate affair rocked an already divided nation. When richard nixon resigned in 1974 in the wake of the watergate scandal, it was only the second time in our. But even as new legislation is passed, this scandal had a deep impact on how citizens viewed their politicians, and it greatly affected how our future presidents abused their powers. Deep throat, watergate, and the bureaucratic politics of the fbi. Frank wills, a security guard, discovered clues that former fbi and cia agents broke into the offices of the democratic party and george mcgovern. Records of the watergate special prosecution force. The watergate scandal was a scandal during and after the 1972 presidential election. In this story the reporters stated that five men had been. The watergate scandal constitutional rights foundation.
The watergate story nixon resigns the washington post. Beginning in june 1972 and continuing to august 1974, the affair aroused increasing public interest and eventually dominated the national news. He was a duke university of law attorney, and a navy reserve commander in world war two. Acknowledgments like the washington posts coverage of watergate, this book is the result of a collaborative effort with our colleaguesexecutives, editors, reporters, librarians, telephone. As important as watergate was in political history, it was perhaps equally so in journalism. Watergate scandal, interlocking political scandals of the administration of u. The watergate scandal essay 546 words 3 pages the watergate scandal watergate is the popular name for the political scandal and constitutional crisis that began with the arrest of five burglars who broke into the democratic national committee headquarters at the watergate office in washington d. Watergate the presidential scandal that shook america. What was the watergate scandal, why did richard nixon. Patrick gray testified before the senate judiciary committee regarding his nomination to replace j. Watergate background the watergate scandal was one of the worst political scandals in american history. Watergate scandal project gutenberg selfpublishing. However, for those who are not aware of the scandal, here is a summary of the watergate scandal. The inspector general act was put in place in the wake of the watergate scandal, as a means of ensuring integrity and accountability in the executive branch.
More than four decades ago, five men broke into democratic national committee headquarters in washington, setting off a series of actions that brought down president richard nixon. The watergate scandal essay written by unknown the watergate scandal was a series of crimes committed by the president and his staff, who were found to spied on and harassed political opponents, accepted illegal campaign contributions, and covered up their own misdeeds. Watergate book the real watergate scandal geoff shepard. White house linked to coverup on february 28, 1973, acting fbi director l.
It occurred in the 1970s and changed the way the general public perceived politicians. Th is article argues that felts actions and, by extension, watergate itselfmust be understood in the context of a longstanding institutional confl ict between the nixon administration and j. The watergate scandal was a major political scandal that occurred in the united states in the 1970s as a result of the june 17, 1972, breakin at the democratic national committee dnc headquarters at the watergate office complex in washington, d. President richard nixon from 1972 to 1974 that led to nixons resignation. What was the watergate scandal, why did richard nixon resign. Timeline for watergate scandal november 5, 1968 richard milhouse nixon, the 55yearold former vice president who lost the presidency for the republicans in 1960, reclaims it by defeating hubert humphrey in one of the closest elections in u. In the early 1970s, the watergate scandal involving president richard nixon made headlines nationwide, but did he have anything to do with. Jun 01, 2019 learn about the watergate scandal of 19721974 and the events that led to nixons resignation. Nearly every action taken with regard to the case had some constitutional significance. Notes on scandal and the watergate legacy sage journals journals. The watergate affair was over, but its influence was not.
Afirst, few people took the watergate burglary seriously, and. The watergate scandal page 5 of 25 strategy by conducting a literature research, i learned about the backgrounds of the watergate scandal. Watergate road map chief judge john sirica then provided it to the house judiciary. This lesson features an excellent primary source document to have your students analyze. Watergate scandal primary source lesson thank you so much for your support. Students will analyze primary source documents related to watergate and place them in the correct stage of the scandal after reading information about each stage. The watergate was an office building and apartment complex in. Watergate road map chief judge john sirica then provided it to the house judiciary committee. The watergate scandal was one of the worst political scandals in american history. It was written for the watergate special prosecutor in august of 1974 after nixon resigned, but before president ford pardoned him. His political career started as a house of representative from 1947 to 1950 and then became a. It resulted in the resignation of the president, richard m. The scandal stemmed from the nixon administrations continuous attempts to cover up its involvement in the june 17, 1972 failed breakin of the democratic national. Watergate scandal simple english wikipedia, the free.
Nixon releases transcripts of three conversations he had with haldeman six days after the watergate breakin. After learning about richard nixon and the watergate scandal, students will participate in a mock trial where they must decide if nixon is guilty of burglary and blackmail. Powerful new evidence reveals that in the most consequential scandal in american history, virtually nothing worked as intended. The reading is followed by 7 reading comprehension and critical thinking questions perfect for clas. In particular, the postreporters carl bernstein and bob. The road map, along with related documents that analyze the evidence collected by the special prosecutor, is located in three boxes in record group 460. The word specifically refers to the watergate hotel in washington d. Begin your research with the washington post online watergate archive. The watergate scandal was a scandal during and after the 1972 presidential election united states president and republican richard nixon was running for election against democrat george mcgovern. From ajr, augustseptember 2004 thirty years after president nixons resignation, theres little agreement over just how.
When the conspiracy was discovered and investigated by the u. The watergate scandal and its aftermath longdom publishing sl. United states president and republican richard nixon was running for election against democrat george mcgovern. These tapes prove that he ordered a coverup of the watergate burglary. The watergate scandal was a political scandal in the united states involving the administration of u. President richard nixon and the watergate scandal dummies. The believe it started back in 1972 when the executive. The watergate scandal was one of the biggest scandals to rock the us. The june 23 tape becomes known as the smoking gun because it reveals that nixon ordered the fbi to abandon its investigation of the breakin.
Sep 07, 2017 watergate and the constitution background. From ajr, augustseptember 2004 stanford university. The presidential scandal that shook america with a. Yet by 1974 the scandal caused president richard nixon to resign his office rather than face impeachment. A mustread watergate book the system worked, carl bernsteins famous assessment of watergate, turns out to be completely wrong.
Frank wills, a security guard, discovered clues that former fbi and cia agents broke into the offices of the democratic party and george mcgovern months before the election. The condensed version melanie harden, traviss career center grade 11 american history objective. The watergate scandal former president richard nixon has had a long and successful political career. Watergate has entered the political lexicon as a term synonymous with corruption and scandal, yet the watergate hotel is one of washingtons plushest hotels. By the summer of 1973, the watergate affair was a fullblown national scandal and the subject of two.
Sep 06, 2018 the scandal began early in the morning of june 17, 1972, when several burglars were arrested in the office of the democratic national committee, located in the watergate complex of buildings in. On june 17, 1972, the washington post published a small story. When richard nixon resigned in 1974 in the wake of the watergate scandal, it was only the second time in our history that impeachment of a president had been considered. The men were found to be bugging the buildings telephones, including the phone of democratic chairman larry obrien. A new afterword by max holland details developments since the original 2003 publication, including the revelation of mark felt as the infamous deep throat, the medias role in the scandal, both during and afterwards, including bob woodwardssecond man. A june 1972 breakin at the headquarters of the democratic national committee at the watergate office complex begins the chain of events that convulsed washington for two years, lead to the first. The scandal stemmed from the nixon administrations continuous attempts to cover up its involvement in the june 17, 1972 failed breakin of the democratic national committee headquarters at the washington, d. I will be told that it was due to seymour hershs blowing the whistle on chaos and other programs in the new york times in 1974, but it turns out that was misdirection itself.
Jun 07, 2019 the watergate scandal intensifies as nixon announces that white house aides john ehrlichman and h. The watergate scandal reading with questionssecondary source reading on the watergate scandal with a focus on the impact washington post reporters bob woodward and carl bernstein had on the scandal. Like the washington posts coverage of watergate, this book is the result of a collaborative effort with our colleaguesexecutives, editors, reporters, librarians, telephone operators, news aides. Nixon that were revealed following the arrest of five burglars at democratic national committee dnc headquarters in the watergate officeapartmenthotel complex in washington, d. Watergate scandal at first, few people took the watergate burglary seriously, and it had no impact on the presidential election of 1972.
Watergate is a general term used to describe a complex web of political scandals between 1972 and 1974. Create a timeline of the major events in the watergate scandal, including a short description of each events importance. The watergate scandal began early in the morning of june 17, 1972, when several burglars were arrested in the office of the democratic national. Watergate was a major political scandal that occurred in the united states in the 1970s, following a breakin at the democratic national committee dnc headquarters at the watergate office complex in washington, d. Lessons from watergate center for american progress. The watergate scandal began early in the morning of june 17, 1972, when several burglars were arrested in the office of the democratic national committee, located in the watergate complex of. An important source is the washington post, the leading newspaper in the united states investigating the watergate affair. January 21, 1969 nixon is inaugurated as the 37th president of the united states. May 17, 2017 more than four decades ago, five men broke into democratic national committee headquarters in washington, setting off a series of actions that brought down president richard nixon. Deep throat, watergate, and the bureaucratic politics of.
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