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Lesson

Richard Nixon and the Watergate Scandal

Guiding question

To what extent was Nixon’s use of executive privilege consistent with precedent and with the Constitution?

Duration
50 min
Grade
9–12
Published
Jun 30, 2021
Black and white image of protesters holding signs calling for Nixon's impeachment in a lush outdoor setting.
In 1974, Richard M. Nixon became the only President in US history to resign from the presidency. After administration operatives were caught breaking into the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, DC, Nixon covered up the crime. A Congressional investigation produced a stunning revelation: The Oval Office had a recording system that taped all the President’s conversations. The tapes could prove whether Nixon himself had ordered the cover-up. The Supreme Court rejected Nixon’s claim that executive privilege allowed him to withhold the tapes. With members of his own Republican Party turning against him and the House drawing up impeachment charges that were sure to pass, Nixon resigned the presidency on August 9. The events raised serious questions about the definition, use, and abuse of executive authority.

Founding Principles

Checks and Balances

Objectives:

Students will:

  • Understand the events of the Watergate scandal.
  • Analyze several Presidents’ use of executive privilege.
  • Evaluate President Richard Nixon’s assertion of executive privilege.

Materials

  • Handout A: Richard Nixon and the Watergate Scandal
  • Handout B: A Brief History of Executive Privilege in the United States
  • Handout C: Herblock Watergate Cartoons
  • Web Resource: Barbara Jordan’s July 25, 1974 Speech to the House Judiciary Committee Background

Lesson Components

ActivityHandout A: Richard Nixon and the Watergate Scandal
ActivityHandout B: A Brief History of Executive Privilege in the United States
ActivityHandout C: Herblock Watergate Cartoons
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Lesson plan

50 minClick a phase to open it

More Information

To create a context for this lesson, have students complete Constitutional Connection: Impeachment and the Constitution.

Standards

Check whether this resource aligns with your state’s standards →

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