🕷️ Crawler Inspector

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Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 51 (from laksa052)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa051.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate","crawl_time":1775564393,"first_indexed_time":1701364844,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,americanarchive!\/primary_source_sets\/watergate s443","src_root_hash":"12296169630299013651","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"The Watergate Scandal","meta_descriptions":[],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"This source set consists of video clips which document the Watergate scandal as it unfolded between 1972 and 1974, as well as one documentary and a retrospective appraisal on the 50th anniversary of the break-in. The sources cover issues germane to the scandal: freedom of the press, the oversight role of Congress and the separation of powers, the concept of executive privilege and the legal battles over access to the White House tapes, and first-person perspectives on the relationship between Watergate and democracy.\nBackground Information\nBefore engaging with this resource set, students should be familiar with the following:\nThe conservative resurgence of 1968\nThe conspiracy theories of Richard Nixon\nThe Committee to Re-Elect the President and Nixon administration officials\nThe timeline of the Watergate scandal\nThe media coverage of the Watergate hearings\nThe constitutional concept of separation of powers\nEssential Question\nTo what extent did the Watergate scandal represent the subversion of democracy or the resilience of democracy?\nGeneral Discussion Questions\nWhat role did broadcast journalism play in Watergate?\nHow did Congress assert its powers during the Watergate scandal?\nWhat did Watergate reveal about the role of the judiciary in the United States?\nWhat impact did the Watergate scandal have upon public trust in government?\nIn the absence of incriminating evidence, would Nixon have resigned?\nWhat is the most important legacy of the Watergate scandal?\nClassroom Activities\n1) The Separation of Powers and Congressional Oversight: Now and Then\nAsk students to watch the following sources:\nJames McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)\nJohn Dean Testifies Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)\nSenator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)\nThreatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)\nThe\nSenate hearings ran for 51 days\nover the summer of 1973 and were televised gavel to gavel. Who testified, and what impact do you believe the cooperation of witnesses had on public perceptions? To what degree do you feel the excesses of the Nixon White House lend credence to the notion of an imperial presidency?\nHow did the members of the House Judiciary Committee approach the impeachment hearings in 1974? Why did so many reference the Constitution and what did they say? Whose remarks resonated with you most and why?\nAsk students to read this NPR\narticle\non the January 6 Committee and to compare it to the Watergate hearings in terms of its process and the political make-up of the committees. Identify the factors that differentiated the House of Representatives investigation into the January 6th, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol from the Watergate investigations.\n2) The Lessons of Watergate\nAsk students to watch the following sources:\nAn Ordinary Citizen Discusses the Morality of Watergate (1974)\nCongresswoman Barbara Jordan Reflects on Watergate (1975)\nGarrett Graff Discusses His Book, Watergate: A New History (2022)\nRep. Barbara Jordan (D, Texas) and Grace Crawley agree that Watergate exposed the lack of integrity and morality in government, but they disagree when it comes to preventing future scandals. What solutions does Jordan endorse?  What does Crawley see as the answer? Garrett Graff, writing on the 50th anniversary of the Watergate break-in, also weighs in. What lesson does he draw from the Watergate scandal?  What lessons do you think should be drawn?\nAsk students to put themselves in Crawley’s place: As a citizen in 1974, what would they say in a letter to the editor of Time magazine? What points would they make about political integrity, accountability, and upholding the Constitution?\n3) The Judiciary v. the Executive\nAsk students to watch the following sources:\nThe President and the Courts (1973)\nThreatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)\nWhat role did the Special Prosecutor and the Senate Select Committee play in getting key evidence released? Why did Nixon refuse to surrender the tapes and what specific arguments did he make? Do you find these persuasive?\nImagine you are a lawyer arguing on behalf of the United States in the 1974\nUnited States v. Nixon\ncase: What points would you make in order to convince the Supreme Court that President Nixon should surrender all the White House tapes?\n4) Interpreting Watershed Moments\nAsk students to watch:\nJames McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)\nSenator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)\nThreatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)\nWhy do you think these were turning points in the Watergate scandal? What made them so dramatic and in what way did they advance the public’s understanding of the inner workings of the Nixon administration?\nPolitical cartoonists like Herblock (Herbert Block), Pat Oliphant, and Draper Hill captured many of the watershed moments of the Watergate scandal in their work. Some of the most memorable were Herblock’s\nWatergate cartoons\npublished in The Washington Post (1972-74).\nUsing Herblock’s cartoons as a model, ask students to create a political cartoon based on the key events documented by the video sources or others that they identify.\nIf time permits, create a classroom exhibit based on the cartoons and ask students to lead tours in which they interpret the meaning of the cartoons and explain their historical significance.","attrs_markdown":"[CELEBRATING AMERICA 250 \\>](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/america-250)\n\nToggle navigation\n\n[American Archive of Public Broadcasting](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/)\n\n*a collaboration between the Library of Congress and GBH*\n\n- [About](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate)\n  - [About the AAPB](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive)\n  - [Vision and Mission](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/vision-and-mission)\n  - [History](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/history)\n  - [Participating Organizations](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/participating-orgs)\n  - [Library and Education Collaborators](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/library-and-education-collaborators)\n  - [What's New](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/whats-new)\n  - [On Location Research](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/on-location)\n  - [Searching the Website](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/search)\n  - [Exhibits](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/exhibits)\n  - [Special Collections](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/special_collections)\n  - [Projects](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/projects)\n  - [Funding](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/funding)\n  - [Executive Advisory Council](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/executive-advisory-council)\n  - [Advisory Committees](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/advisory-committees)\n  - [FAQ](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/faq)\n  - [Newsletter Signup](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/newsletter)\n  - [National History Day](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/national-history-day)\n  - [AAPB Podcast](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/podcast)\n  - [Webinars](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/webinars)\n  - [Feedback](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/feedback)\n  - [Contact Us](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/contact-us)\n- [For Participating Organizations](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate)\n  - [Contribute content](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/help\/contribute)\n  - [Access the AMS](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/help\/using-the-ams)\n  - [Obtain your metadata](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/help\/obtain-metadata)\n  - [Communications Toolkit](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/help\/station-communications-toolkit)\n  - [Resources](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/resources)\n  - [Wiki](http:\/\/wiki.americanarchive.org\/)\n- [Feedback](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/feedback)\n- [Donate](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/donate)\n\n- [FIX IT: A TRANSCRIPT GAME](http:\/\/fixitplus.americanarchive.org\/)\n\n# The Watergate Scandal\n1. ◄ [Primary Source Discussion Sets](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets)\n2. [The Watergate Scandal](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate)\n\n![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/Main_Watergate.jpg)\n\nCreated By\n\nCatherine Sardo Weidner, Lake Forest College\n***\nSubjects\n\n- Conservative Resurgence and Social Change, 1964-2000: Domestic Politics\n\n### Introduction & Context\nThe Watergate scandal exposed the widespread political corruption of the Nixon White House during his campaign for re-election as president. As the race tightened, Attorney General John Mitchell and White House Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman authorized G. Gordon Liddy, a White House operative, to gather intelligence on Nixon’s opponent, Senator George McGovern. Liddy hired the men who burglarized the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., in May and June of 1972 in order to tap the phone of the DNC chairman, Lawrence O’Brien. On June 17th of that year, five men, including James McCord, the security coordinator for the Committee for the Re-Election of the President (CRP or CREEP), were caught and arrested for breaking into the DNC headquarters. With an eye to the November 1972 election, the White House denied any involvement and attacked the press, particularly The Washington Post, for continuing to report on the story and arranged to pay hush money to the burglars. Nixon also ordered Haldeman to use the CIA to halt an FBI investigation into the break-in.\n\nThe cover-up started to unravel after the conviction of the Watergate burglars in early 1973, when McCord, to avoid taking the blame for higher-ups, charged that witnesses had committed perjury at the trial. In May, the Senate began a televised investigation into the affair, which soon revealed that Nixon secretly taped Oval Office conversations. Even before the Senate investigation revealed that these recordings existed, John Dean, White House Counsel, testified that Nixon had many conversations about both the break-in and the cover-up. Only the tapes would corroborate the extent of the president’s knowledge and access to this crucial evidence quickly became the focus of the Senate and Department of Justice Watergate investigations. Nixon refused to release the tapes, however, claiming that executive privilege protected his conversations. This triggered both impeachment hearings in the House of Representatives in May 1974 and an appeal to the Supreme Court. On July 24, 1974, United States v. Nixon was decided, forcing Nixon to surrender the tapes. The House Judiciary Committee approved three articles of impeachment the following week. Facing impeachment, the collapse of Republican support, and clear evidence of his complicity, Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974.\n\nRead More +\n\n### Sources\nContent Advisory: These archival materials may reference content that could be sensitive for some audiences. It is recommended that teachers and faculty preview these media sources to determine their appropriateness before sharing with students.\n\n[![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/Charles_Colson_Special_Counsel_to_President_Nixon_Issues_Early_Denial.jpg) Charles Colson, Special Counsel to President Nixon, Issues Early Denial (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/1-512-gf0ms3m89s)\n\n[![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/James_McCords_Testimony_Before_the_Senate_Select_Watergate_Committee.jpg) James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/2-512-d795718g4z)\n\n[![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/John_Dean_Testifies_Before_the_Senate_Select_Watergate_Committee.jpg) John Dean Testifies Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/3-512-251fj2b06r)\n\n[![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/Senator_Howard_Baker_Asks_John_Dean_a_Key_Question.jpg) Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/4-512-j09w08x77b)\n\n[![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/The_President_and_the_Courts.jpg) The President and the Courts (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/5-9a47dc598f3)\n\n[![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/An_Ordinary_Citizen_Discusses_the_Morality_of_Watergate.jpg) An Ordinary Citizen Discusses the Morality of Watergate (1974)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/6-512-3f4kk95f7h)\n\n[![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/Threatened_With_Impeachment_Nixon_Resigns.jpg) Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/7-512-gm81j9840b)\n\n[![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/Congresswoman_Barbara_Jordan_Reflects_on_Watergate.jpg) Congresswoman Barbara Jordan Reflects on Watergate (1975)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/8-512-ms3jw87z64)\n\n[![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/Garrett_Graff_Discusses_His_Book,_Watergate_A_New_History.jpg) Garrett Graff Discusses His Book, Watergate: A New History (2022)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/9-065273f33da)\n\n### Teaching Tips [Download PDF](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/AAPB_Watergate_Scandal_Teaching-Tips.pdf)\nThis source set consists of video clips which document the Watergate scandal as it unfolded between 1972 and 1974, as well as one documentary and a retrospective appraisal on the 50th anniversary of the break-in. The sources cover issues germane to the scandal: freedom of the press, the oversight role of Congress and the separation of powers, the concept of executive privilege and the legal battles over access to the White House tapes, and first-person perspectives on the relationship between Watergate and democracy.\n\n#### Background Information\nBefore engaging with this resource set, students should be familiar with the following:\n\n- The conservative resurgence of 1968\n- The conspiracy theories of Richard Nixon\n- The Committee to Re-Elect the President and Nixon administration officials\n- The timeline of the Watergate scandal\n- The media coverage of the Watergate hearings\n- The constitutional concept of separation of powers\n***\n#### Essential Question\nTo what extent did the Watergate scandal represent the subversion of democracy or the resilience of democracy?\n***\n#### General Discussion Questions\n- What role did broadcast journalism play in Watergate?\n- How did Congress assert its powers during the Watergate scandal?\n- What did Watergate reveal about the role of the judiciary in the United States?\n- What impact did the Watergate scandal have upon public trust in government?\n- In the absence of incriminating evidence, would Nixon have resigned?\n- What is the most important legacy of the Watergate scandal?\n***\n#### Classroom Activities\n**1\\) The Separation of Powers and Congressional Oversight: Now and Then**\n\nAsk students to watch the following sources:\n\n- [James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/2-512-d795718g4z)\n- [John Dean Testifies Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/3-512-251fj2b06r)\n- [Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/4-512-j09w08x77b)\n- [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/7-512-gm81j9840b)\n\nThe [Senate hearings ran for 51 days](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/1-512-gf0ms3m89s) over the summer of 1973 and were televised gavel to gavel. Who testified, and what impact do you believe the cooperation of witnesses had on public perceptions? To what degree do you feel the excesses of the Nixon White House lend credence to the notion of an imperial presidency?\n\nHow did the members of the House Judiciary Committee approach the impeachment hearings in 1974? Why did so many reference the Constitution and what did they say? Whose remarks resonated with you most and why?\n\nAsk students to read this NPR [article](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2022\/06\/06\/1103098399\/watergate-committee-hearings-may-be-both-an-inspiration-and-a-hard-act-to-follow) on the January 6 Committee and to compare it to the Watergate hearings in terms of its process and the political make-up of the committees. Identify the factors that differentiated the House of Representatives investigation into the January 6th, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol from the Watergate investigations.\n\n**2\\) The Lessons of Watergate**\n\nAsk students to watch the following sources:\n\n- [An Ordinary Citizen Discusses the Morality of Watergate (1974)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/6-512-3f4kk95f7h)\n- [Congresswoman Barbara Jordan Reflects on Watergate (1975)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/8-512-ms3jw87z64)\n- [Garrett Graff Discusses His Book, Watergate: A New History (2022)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/9-065273f33da)\n\nRep. Barbara Jordan (D, Texas) and Grace Crawley agree that Watergate exposed the lack of integrity and morality in government, but they disagree when it comes to preventing future scandals. What solutions does Jordan endorse? What does Crawley see as the answer? Garrett Graff, writing on the 50th anniversary of the Watergate break-in, also weighs in. What lesson does he draw from the Watergate scandal? What lessons do you think should be drawn?\n\nAsk students to put themselves in Crawley’s place: As a citizen in 1974, what would they say in a letter to the editor of Time magazine? What points would they make about political integrity, accountability, and upholding the Constitution?\n\n**3\\) The Judiciary v. the Executive**\n\nAsk students to watch the following sources:\n\n- [The President and the Courts (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/5-9a47dc598f3)\n- [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/7-512-gm81j9840b)\n\nWhat role did the Special Prosecutor and the Senate Select Committee play in getting key evidence released? Why did Nixon refuse to surrender the tapes and what specific arguments did he make? Do you find these persuasive?\n\nImagine you are a lawyer arguing on behalf of the United States in the 1974 [United States v. Nixon](https:\/\/www.oyez.org\/cases\/1973\/73-1766) case: What points would you make in order to convince the Supreme Court that President Nixon should surrender all the White House tapes?\n\n**4\\) Interpreting Watershed Moments**\n\nAsk students to watch:\n\n- [James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/2-512-d795718g4z)\n- [Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/4-512-j09w08x77b)\n- [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/7-512-gm81j9840b)\n\nWhy do you think these were turning points in the Watergate scandal? What made them so dramatic and in what way did they advance the public’s understanding of the inner workings of the Nixon administration?\n\nPolitical cartoonists like Herblock (Herbert Block), Pat Oliphant, and Draper Hill captured many of the watershed moments of the Watergate scandal in their work. Some of the most memorable were Herblock’s [Watergate cartoons](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-srv\/politics\/special\/watergate\/cartoon.html) published in The Washington Post (1972-74).\n\nUsing Herblock’s cartoons as a model, ask students to create a political cartoon based on the key events documented by the video sources or others that they identify.\n\nIf time permits, create a classroom exhibit based on the cartoons and ask students to lead tours in which they interpret the meaning of the cartoons and explain their historical significance.\n***\n\n### Additional Resources\n[**Richard Nixon's Political Scandal: Researching Watergate in the Manuscript Collections**](https:\/\/guides.loc.gov\/watergate-manuscripts), Library of Congress\n\n[**Watergate and the Constitution**](https:\/\/www.archives.gov\/education\/lessons\/watergate-constitution), National Archives\n\n[**Watergate: Portraiture and Intrigue**](https:\/\/npg.si.edu\/exhibition\/watergate), National Portrait Gallery\n\n[**Watergate Committee hearings may be both an inspiration and a hard act to follow**](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2022\/06\/06\/1103098399\/watergate-committee-hearings-may-be-both-an-inspiration-and-a-hard-act-to-follow), NPR\n\n[**How TV news has changed 50 years since Watergate**](https:\/\/www.wesa.fm\/2022-06-17\/how-tv-news-has-changed-50-years-since-watergate), WBUR, NPR\n\n[**A Look Back at the Senate Watergate Hearings**](https:\/\/www.tpt.org\/pbs-newshour\/video\/newshour-look-back-senate-watergate-hearings\/), PBS NewsHour\n\n[**Richard Nixon and Watergate**](https:\/\/billofrightsinstitute.org\/essays\/richard-nixon-and-watergate), Bill of Rights Institute\n\n[**The Watergate Story**](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-srv\/politics\/special\/watergate\/part1.html), Washington Post Archives\n\n[**Public trust in government: 1958-2015**](https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/politics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/11\/Trust-1.png), The Pew Research Center\n\n### Citation\nWeidner, Catherine Sardo. \"The Watergate Scandal.\" WGBH and the Library of Congress. <https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate>.\n\n### You May Also Like\n[![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/special-collections\/Herblock_latereturns-l.jpg) The Watergate Hearings](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/special_collections\/watergate)\n\n[![](https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/americanarchive.org\/exhibits\/latereturns.jpg) “Gavel-to-Gavel”: The Watergate Scandal and Public Television](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/exhibits\/watergate)\n\n[American Archive of Public Broadcasting](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/)\n***\n- [About the AAPB](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive)\n- [Vision & Mission](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/vision-and-mission)\n- [History](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/history)\n- [Exhibits](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/exhibits)\n- [Special Collections](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/special_collections)\n- [Organizations](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/participating-orgs)\n- [Library and Education Collaborators](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/library-and-education-collaborators)\n- [What's New](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/whats-new)\n- [Funding](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/funding)\n- [Projects](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/projects)\n- [Executive Advisory Council](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/executive-advisory-council)\n- [Advisory Committees](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/advisory-committees)\n- [AAPB Podcast](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/podcast)\n- [Webinars](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/webinars)\n\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/contact-us)\n- [Advanced Search](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/advanced)\n- [Searching the Website](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/search)\n- [On Location Research](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/on-location)\n- [FAQ](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/faq)\n- [Donate](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/donate)\n- [Newsletter Signup](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/newsletter)\n- [Feedback](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/feedback)\n- [Content Statement](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/metadata-transcripts)\n\n- [Contribute Content](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/help\/contribute)\n- [Access the AMS](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/help\/using-the-ams)\n- [Obtain Metadata](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/help\/obtain-metadata)\n- [Resources](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/resources)\n- [Communications Toolkit](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/help\/station-communications-toolkit)\n- [Blog](http:\/\/americanarchivepb.wordpress.com\/)\n- [Wiki](http:\/\/wiki.americanarchive.org\/)\n\n- [ORR Rules of Use](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/legal\/orr-rules)\n- [Terms of Use](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/legal\/tou)\n- [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/legal\/privacy)\n\n- [Read Our Blog](https:\/\/americanarchivepb.wordpress.com\/ \"Read the AAPB Blog\")\n- [Follow us on Twitter](https:\/\/twitter.com\/amarchivepub \"Follow us on Twitter\")\n- [Like us on Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/amarchivepub \"Like us on Facebook\")\n- [Follow us on Instagram](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/amarchivepub\/ \"Follow us on Instagram\")\n\n- [Listen to our Podcast](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/podcast \"Listen to our Podcast\")\n- [Follow us on Mastodon](https:\/\/mastodon.social\/@amarchivepub \"Follow us on Mastodon\")\n- [Join us on reddit](https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/amarchivepub\/ \"Join us on reddit\")\n***\n- [The Library of Congress](http:\/\/www.loc.gov\/ \"The Library of Congress\")\n- ### A Collaboration Between\n- [GBH Archives](http:\/\/openvault.wgbh.org\/ \"GBH Archives\")\n\n#### Sign up for the AAPB newsletter! X\nStay up to date on new exhibits, special collections, projects, and more.\n\n[Click here to subscribe.](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/about-the-american-archive\/newsletter)","attrs_readable_markdown":"This source set consists of video clips which document the Watergate scandal as it unfolded between 1972 and 1974, as well as one documentary and a retrospective appraisal on the 50th anniversary of the break-in. The sources cover issues germane to the scandal: freedom of the press, the oversight role of Congress and the separation of powers, the concept of executive privilege and the legal battles over access to the White House tapes, and first-person perspectives on the relationship between Watergate and democracy.\n\n#### Background Information\nBefore engaging with this resource set, students should be familiar with the following:\n\n- The conservative resurgence of 1968\n- The conspiracy theories of Richard Nixon\n- The Committee to Re-Elect the President and Nixon administration officials\n- The timeline of the Watergate scandal\n- The media coverage of the Watergate hearings\n- The constitutional concept of separation of powers\n***\n#### Essential Question\nTo what extent did the Watergate scandal represent the subversion of democracy or the resilience of democracy?\n***\n#### General Discussion Questions\n- What role did broadcast journalism play in Watergate?\n- How did Congress assert its powers during the Watergate scandal?\n- What did Watergate reveal about the role of the judiciary in the United States?\n- What impact did the Watergate scandal have upon public trust in government?\n- In the absence of incriminating evidence, would Nixon have resigned?\n- What is the most important legacy of the Watergate scandal?\n***\n#### Classroom Activities\n**1\\) The Separation of Powers and Congressional Oversight: Now and Then**\n\nAsk students to watch the following sources:\n\n- [James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/2-512-d795718g4z)\n- [John Dean Testifies Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/3-512-251fj2b06r)\n- [Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/4-512-j09w08x77b)\n- [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/7-512-gm81j9840b)\n\nThe [Senate hearings ran for 51 days](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/1-512-gf0ms3m89s) over the summer of 1973 and were televised gavel to gavel. Who testified, and what impact do you believe the cooperation of witnesses had on public perceptions? To what degree do you feel the excesses of the Nixon White House lend credence to the notion of an imperial presidency?\n\nHow did the members of the House Judiciary Committee approach the impeachment hearings in 1974? Why did so many reference the Constitution and what did they say? Whose remarks resonated with you most and why?\n\nAsk students to read this NPR [article](https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2022\/06\/06\/1103098399\/watergate-committee-hearings-may-be-both-an-inspiration-and-a-hard-act-to-follow) on the January 6 Committee and to compare it to the Watergate hearings in terms of its process and the political make-up of the committees. Identify the factors that differentiated the House of Representatives investigation into the January 6th, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol from the Watergate investigations.\n\n**2\\) The Lessons of Watergate**\n\nAsk students to watch the following sources:\n\n- [An Ordinary Citizen Discusses the Morality of Watergate (1974)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/6-512-3f4kk95f7h)\n- [Congresswoman Barbara Jordan Reflects on Watergate (1975)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/8-512-ms3jw87z64)\n- [Garrett Graff Discusses His Book, Watergate: A New History (2022)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/9-065273f33da)\n\nRep. Barbara Jordan (D, Texas) and Grace Crawley agree that Watergate exposed the lack of integrity and morality in government, but they disagree when it comes to preventing future scandals. What solutions does Jordan endorse? What does Crawley see as the answer? Garrett Graff, writing on the 50th anniversary of the Watergate break-in, also weighs in. What lesson does he draw from the Watergate scandal? What lessons do you think should be drawn?\n\nAsk students to put themselves in Crawley’s place: As a citizen in 1974, what would they say in a letter to the editor of Time magazine? What points would they make about political integrity, accountability, and upholding the Constitution?\n\n**3\\) The Judiciary v. the Executive**\n\nAsk students to watch the following sources:\n\n- [The President and the Courts (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/5-9a47dc598f3)\n- [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/7-512-gm81j9840b)\n\nWhat role did the Special Prosecutor and the Senate Select Committee play in getting key evidence released? Why did Nixon refuse to surrender the tapes and what specific arguments did he make? Do you find these persuasive?\n\nImagine you are a lawyer arguing on behalf of the United States in the 1974 [United States v. Nixon](https:\/\/www.oyez.org\/cases\/1973\/73-1766) case: What points would you make in order to convince the Supreme Court that President Nixon should surrender all the White House tapes?\n\n**4\\) Interpreting Watershed Moments**\n\nAsk students to watch:\n\n- [James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/2-512-d795718g4z)\n- [Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/4-512-j09w08x77b)\n- [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https:\/\/americanarchive.org\/primary_source_sets\/watergate\/7-512-gm81j9840b)\n\nWhy do you think these were turning points in the Watergate scandal? What made them so dramatic and in what way did they advance the public’s understanding of the inner workings of the Nixon administration?\n\nPolitical cartoonists like Herblock (Herbert Block), Pat Oliphant, and Draper Hill captured many of the watershed moments of the Watergate scandal in their work. Some of the most memorable were Herblock’s [Watergate cartoons](https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-srv\/politics\/special\/watergate\/cartoon.html) published in The Washington Post (1972-74).\n\nUsing Herblock’s cartoons as a model, ask students to create a political cartoon based on the key events documented by the video sources or others that they identify.\n\nIf time permits, create a classroom exhibit based on the cartoons and ask students to lead tours in which they interpret the meaning of the cartoons and explain their historical significance.\n***","meta_canonical":null}

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Boilerpipe Text	This source set consists of video clips which document the Watergate scandal as it unfolded between 1972 and 1974, as well as one documentary and a retrospective appraisal on the 50th anniversary of the break-in. The sources cover issues germane to the scandal: freedom of the press, the oversight role of Congress and the separation of powers, the concept of executive privilege and the legal battles over access to the White House tapes, and first-person perspectives on the relationship between Watergate and democracy. Background Information Before engaging with this resource set, students should be familiar with the following: The conservative resurgence of 1968 The conspiracy theories of Richard Nixon The Committee to Re-Elect the President and Nixon administration officials The timeline of the Watergate scandal The media coverage of the Watergate hearings The constitutional concept of separation of powers Essential Question To what extent did the Watergate scandal represent the subversion of democracy or the resilience of democracy? General Discussion Questions What role did broadcast journalism play in Watergate? How did Congress assert its powers during the Watergate scandal? What did Watergate reveal about the role of the judiciary in the United States? What impact did the Watergate scandal have upon public trust in government? In the absence of incriminating evidence, would Nixon have resigned? What is the most important legacy of the Watergate scandal? Classroom Activities 1) The Separation of Powers and Congressional Oversight: Now and Then Ask students to watch the following sources: James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973) John Dean Testifies Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973) Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973) Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983) The Senate hearings ran for 51 days over the summer of 1973 and were televised gavel to gavel. Who testified, and what impact do you believe the cooperation of witnesses had on public perceptions? To what degree do you feel the excesses of the Nixon White House lend credence to the notion of an imperial presidency? How did the members of the House Judiciary Committee approach the impeachment hearings in 1974? Why did so many reference the Constitution and what did they say? Whose remarks resonated with you most and why? Ask students to read this NPR article on the January 6 Committee and to compare it to the Watergate hearings in terms of its process and the political make-up of the committees. Identify the factors that differentiated the House of Representatives investigation into the January 6th, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol from the Watergate investigations. 2) The Lessons of Watergate Ask students to watch the following sources: An Ordinary Citizen Discusses the Morality of Watergate (1974) Congresswoman Barbara Jordan Reflects on Watergate (1975) Garrett Graff Discusses His Book, Watergate: A New History (2022) Rep. Barbara Jordan (D, Texas) and Grace Crawley agree that Watergate exposed the lack of integrity and morality in government, but they disagree when it comes to preventing future scandals. What solutions does Jordan endorse? What does Crawley see as the answer? Garrett Graff, writing on the 50th anniversary of the Watergate break-in, also weighs in. What lesson does he draw from the Watergate scandal? What lessons do you think should be drawn? Ask students to put themselves in Crawley’s place: As a citizen in 1974, what would they say in a letter to the editor of Time magazine? What points would they make about political integrity, accountability, and upholding the Constitution? 3) The Judiciary v. the Executive Ask students to watch the following sources: The President and the Courts (1973) Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983) What role did the Special Prosecutor and the Senate Select Committee play in getting key evidence released? Why did Nixon refuse to surrender the tapes and what specific arguments did he make? Do you find these persuasive? Imagine you are a lawyer arguing on behalf of the United States in the 1974 United States v. Nixon case: What points would you make in order to convince the Supreme Court that President Nixon should surrender all the White House tapes? 4) Interpreting Watershed Moments Ask students to watch: James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973) Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973) Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983) Why do you think these were turning points in the Watergate scandal? What made them so dramatic and in what way did they advance the public’s understanding of the inner workings of the Nixon administration? Political cartoonists like Herblock (Herbert Block), Pat Oliphant, and Draper Hill captured many of the watershed moments of the Watergate scandal in their work. Some of the most memorable were Herblock’s Watergate cartoons published in The Washington Post (1972-74). Using Herblock’s cartoons as a model, ask students to create a political cartoon based on the key events documented by the video sources or others that they identify. If time permits, create a classroom exhibit based on the cartoons and ask students to lead tours in which they interpret the meaning of the cartoons and explain their historical significance.
Markdown	[CELEBRATING AMERICA 250 \>](https://americanarchive.org/america-250) Toggle navigation [American Archive of Public Broadcasting](https://americanarchive.org/) a collaboration between the Library of Congress and GBH - [About](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate) - [About the AAPB](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive) - [Vision and Mission](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/vision-and-mission) - [History](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/history) - [Participating Organizations](https://americanarchive.org/participating-orgs) - [Library and Education Collaborators](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/library-and-education-collaborators) - [What's New](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/whats-new) - [On Location Research](https://americanarchive.org/on-location) - [Searching the Website](https://americanarchive.org/search) - [Exhibits](https://americanarchive.org/exhibits) - [Special Collections](https://americanarchive.org/special_collections) - [Projects](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/projects) - [Funding](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/funding) - [Executive Advisory Council](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/executive-advisory-council) - [Advisory Committees](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/advisory-committees) - [FAQ](https://americanarchive.org/faq) - [Newsletter Signup](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/newsletter) - [National History Day](https://americanarchive.org/national-history-day) - [AAPB Podcast](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/podcast) - [Webinars](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/webinars) - [Feedback](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/feedback) - [Contact Us](https://americanarchive.org/contact-us) - [For Participating Organizations](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate) - [Contribute content](https://americanarchive.org/help/contribute) - [Access the AMS](https://americanarchive.org/help/using-the-ams) - [Obtain your metadata](https://americanarchive.org/help/obtain-metadata) - [Communications Toolkit](https://americanarchive.org/help/station-communications-toolkit) - [Resources](https://americanarchive.org/resources) - [Wiki](http://wiki.americanarchive.org/) - [Feedback](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/feedback) - [Donate](https://americanarchive.org/donate) - [FIX IT: A TRANSCRIPT GAME](http://fixitplus.americanarchive.org/) # The Watergate Scandal 1. ◄ [Primary Source Discussion Sets](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets) 2. [The Watergate Scandal](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate) ![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/Main_Watergate.jpg) Created By Catherine Sardo Weidner, Lake Forest College * Subjects - Conservative Resurgence and Social Change, 1964-2000: Domestic Politics ### Introduction & Context The Watergate scandal exposed the widespread political corruption of the Nixon White House during his campaign for re-election as president. As the race tightened, Attorney General John Mitchell and White House Chief of Staff H. R. Haldeman authorized G. Gordon Liddy, a White House operative, to gather intelligence on Nixon’s opponent, Senator George McGovern. Liddy hired the men who burglarized the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C., in May and June of 1972 in order to tap the phone of the DNC chairman, Lawrence O’Brien. On June 17th of that year, five men, including James McCord, the security coordinator for the Committee for the Re-Election of the President (CRP or CREEP), were caught and arrested for breaking into the DNC headquarters. With an eye to the November 1972 election, the White House denied any involvement and attacked the press, particularly The Washington Post, for continuing to report on the story and arranged to pay hush money to the burglars. Nixon also ordered Haldeman to use the CIA to halt an FBI investigation into the break-in. The cover-up started to unravel after the conviction of the Watergate burglars in early 1973, when McCord, to avoid taking the blame for higher-ups, charged that witnesses had committed perjury at the trial. In May, the Senate began a televised investigation into the affair, which soon revealed that Nixon secretly taped Oval Office conversations. Even before the Senate investigation revealed that these recordings existed, John Dean, White House Counsel, testified that Nixon had many conversations about both the break-in and the cover-up. Only the tapes would corroborate the extent of the president’s knowledge and access to this crucial evidence quickly became the focus of the Senate and Department of Justice Watergate investigations. Nixon refused to release the tapes, however, claiming that executive privilege protected his conversations. This triggered both impeachment hearings in the House of Representatives in May 1974 and an appeal to the Supreme Court. On July 24, 1974, United States v. Nixon was decided, forcing Nixon to surrender the tapes. The House Judiciary Committee approved three articles of impeachment the following week. Facing impeachment, the collapse of Republican support, and clear evidence of his complicity, Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974. Read More + ### Sources Content Advisory: These archival materials may reference content that could be sensitive for some audiences. It is recommended that teachers and faculty preview these media sources to determine their appropriateness before sharing with students. [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/Charles_Colson_Special_Counsel_to_President_Nixon_Issues_Early_Denial.jpg) Charles Colson, Special Counsel to President Nixon, Issues Early Denial (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/1-512-gf0ms3m89s) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/James_McCords_Testimony_Before_the_Senate_Select_Watergate_Committee.jpg) James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/2-512-d795718g4z) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/John_Dean_Testifies_Before_the_Senate_Select_Watergate_Committee.jpg) John Dean Testifies Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/3-512-251fj2b06r) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/Senator_Howard_Baker_Asks_John_Dean_a_Key_Question.jpg) Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/4-512-j09w08x77b) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/The_President_and_the_Courts.jpg) The President and the Courts (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/5-9a47dc598f3) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/An_Ordinary_Citizen_Discusses_the_Morality_of_Watergate.jpg) An Ordinary Citizen Discusses the Morality of Watergate (1974)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/6-512-3f4kk95f7h) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/Threatened_With_Impeachment_Nixon_Resigns.jpg) Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/7-512-gm81j9840b) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/Congresswoman_Barbara_Jordan_Reflects_on_Watergate.jpg) Congresswoman Barbara Jordan Reflects on Watergate (1975)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/8-512-ms3jw87z64) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/Garrett_Graff_Discusses_His_Book,_Watergate_A_New_History.jpg) Garrett Graff Discusses His Book, Watergate: A New History (2022)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/9-065273f33da) ### Teaching Tips [Download PDF](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/AAPB_Watergate_Scandal_Teaching-Tips.pdf) This source set consists of video clips which document the Watergate scandal as it unfolded between 1972 and 1974, as well as one documentary and a retrospective appraisal on the 50th anniversary of the break-in. The sources cover issues germane to the scandal: freedom of the press, the oversight role of Congress and the separation of powers, the concept of executive privilege and the legal battles over access to the White House tapes, and first-person perspectives on the relationship between Watergate and democracy. #### Background Information Before engaging with this resource set, students should be familiar with the following: - The conservative resurgence of 1968 - The conspiracy theories of Richard Nixon - The Committee to Re-Elect the President and Nixon administration officials - The timeline of the Watergate scandal - The media coverage of the Watergate hearings - The constitutional concept of separation of powers * #### Essential Question To what extent did the Watergate scandal represent the subversion of democracy or the resilience of democracy? * #### General Discussion Questions - What role did broadcast journalism play in Watergate? - How did Congress assert its powers during the Watergate scandal? - What did Watergate reveal about the role of the judiciary in the United States? - What impact did the Watergate scandal have upon public trust in government? - In the absence of incriminating evidence, would Nixon have resigned? - What is the most important legacy of the Watergate scandal? * #### Classroom Activities 1\) The Separation of Powers and Congressional Oversight: Now and Then Ask students to watch the following sources: - [James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/2-512-d795718g4z) - [John Dean Testifies Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/3-512-251fj2b06r) - [Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/4-512-j09w08x77b) - [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/7-512-gm81j9840b) The [Senate hearings ran for 51 days](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/1-512-gf0ms3m89s) over the summer of 1973 and were televised gavel to gavel. Who testified, and what impact do you believe the cooperation of witnesses had on public perceptions? To what degree do you feel the excesses of the Nixon White House lend credence to the notion of an imperial presidency? How did the members of the House Judiciary Committee approach the impeachment hearings in 1974? Why did so many reference the Constitution and what did they say? Whose remarks resonated with you most and why? Ask students to read this NPR [article](https://www.npr.org/2022/06/06/1103098399/watergate-committee-hearings-may-be-both-an-inspiration-and-a-hard-act-to-follow) on the January 6 Committee and to compare it to the Watergate hearings in terms of its process and the political make-up of the committees. Identify the factors that differentiated the House of Representatives investigation into the January 6th, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol from the Watergate investigations. 2\) The Lessons of Watergate Ask students to watch the following sources: - [An Ordinary Citizen Discusses the Morality of Watergate (1974)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/6-512-3f4kk95f7h) - [Congresswoman Barbara Jordan Reflects on Watergate (1975)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/8-512-ms3jw87z64) - [Garrett Graff Discusses His Book, Watergate: A New History (2022)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/9-065273f33da) Rep. Barbara Jordan (D, Texas) and Grace Crawley agree that Watergate exposed the lack of integrity and morality in government, but they disagree when it comes to preventing future scandals. What solutions does Jordan endorse? What does Crawley see as the answer? Garrett Graff, writing on the 50th anniversary of the Watergate break-in, also weighs in. What lesson does he draw from the Watergate scandal? What lessons do you think should be drawn? Ask students to put themselves in Crawley’s place: As a citizen in 1974, what would they say in a letter to the editor of Time magazine? What points would they make about political integrity, accountability, and upholding the Constitution? 3\) The Judiciary v. the Executive Ask students to watch the following sources: - [The President and the Courts (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/5-9a47dc598f3) - [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/7-512-gm81j9840b) What role did the Special Prosecutor and the Senate Select Committee play in getting key evidence released? Why did Nixon refuse to surrender the tapes and what specific arguments did he make? Do you find these persuasive? Imagine you are a lawyer arguing on behalf of the United States in the 1974 [United States v. Nixon](https://www.oyez.org/cases/1973/73-1766) case: What points would you make in order to convince the Supreme Court that President Nixon should surrender all the White House tapes? 4\) Interpreting Watershed Moments Ask students to watch: - [James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/2-512-d795718g4z) - [Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/4-512-j09w08x77b) - [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/7-512-gm81j9840b) Why do you think these were turning points in the Watergate scandal? What made them so dramatic and in what way did they advance the public’s understanding of the inner workings of the Nixon administration? Political cartoonists like Herblock (Herbert Block), Pat Oliphant, and Draper Hill captured many of the watershed moments of the Watergate scandal in their work. Some of the most memorable were Herblock’s [Watergate cartoons](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/cartoon.html) published in The Washington Post (1972-74). Using Herblock’s cartoons as a model, ask students to create a political cartoon based on the key events documented by the video sources or others that they identify. If time permits, create a classroom exhibit based on the cartoons and ask students to lead tours in which they interpret the meaning of the cartoons and explain their historical significance. * ### Additional Resources [Richard Nixon's Political Scandal: Researching Watergate in the Manuscript Collections](https://guides.loc.gov/watergate-manuscripts), Library of Congress [Watergate and the Constitution](https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/watergate-constitution), National Archives [Watergate: Portraiture and Intrigue](https://npg.si.edu/exhibition/watergate), National Portrait Gallery [Watergate Committee hearings may be both an inspiration and a hard act to follow](https://www.npr.org/2022/06/06/1103098399/watergate-committee-hearings-may-be-both-an-inspiration-and-a-hard-act-to-follow), NPR [How TV news has changed 50 years since Watergate](https://www.wesa.fm/2022-06-17/how-tv-news-has-changed-50-years-since-watergate), WBUR, NPR [A Look Back at the Senate Watergate Hearings](https://www.tpt.org/pbs-newshour/video/newshour-look-back-senate-watergate-hearings/), PBS NewsHour [Richard Nixon and Watergate](https://billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/richard-nixon-and-watergate), Bill of Rights Institute [The Watergate Story](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/part1.html), Washington Post Archives [Public trust in government: 1958-2015](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2015/11/Trust-1.png), The Pew Research Center ### Citation Weidner, Catherine Sardo. "The Watergate Scandal." WGBH and the Library of Congress. <https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate>. ### You May Also Like [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/special-collections/Herblock_latereturns-l.jpg) The Watergate Hearings](https://americanarchive.org/special_collections/watergate) [![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/americanarchive.org/exhibits/latereturns.jpg) “Gavel-to-Gavel”: The Watergate Scandal and Public Television](https://americanarchive.org/exhibits/watergate) [American Archive of Public Broadcasting](https://americanarchive.org/) * - [About the AAPB](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive) - [Vision & Mission](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/vision-and-mission) - [History](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/history) - [Exhibits](https://americanarchive.org/exhibits) - [Special Collections](https://americanarchive.org/special_collections) - [Organizations](https://americanarchive.org/participating-orgs) - [Library and Education Collaborators](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/library-and-education-collaborators) - [What's New](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/whats-new) - [Funding](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/funding) - [Projects](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/projects) - [Executive Advisory Council](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/executive-advisory-council) - [Advisory Committees](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/advisory-committees) - [AAPB Podcast](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/podcast) - [Webinars](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/webinars) - [Contact Us](https://americanarchive.org/contact-us) - [Advanced Search](https://americanarchive.org/advanced) - [Searching the Website](https://americanarchive.org/search) - [On Location Research](https://americanarchive.org/on-location) - [FAQ](https://americanarchive.org/faq) - [Donate](https://americanarchive.org/donate) - [Newsletter Signup](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/newsletter) - [Feedback](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/feedback) - [Content Statement](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/metadata-transcripts) - [Contribute Content](https://americanarchive.org/help/contribute) - [Access the AMS](https://americanarchive.org/help/using-the-ams) - [Obtain Metadata](https://americanarchive.org/help/obtain-metadata) - [Resources](https://americanarchive.org/resources) - [Communications Toolkit](https://americanarchive.org/help/station-communications-toolkit) - [Blog](http://americanarchivepb.wordpress.com/) - [Wiki](http://wiki.americanarchive.org/) - [ORR Rules of Use](https://americanarchive.org/legal/orr-rules) - [Terms of Use](https://americanarchive.org/legal/tou) - [Privacy Policy](https://americanarchive.org/legal/privacy) - [Read Our Blog](https://americanarchivepb.wordpress.com/ "Read the AAPB Blog") - [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/amarchivepub "Follow us on Twitter") - [Like us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/amarchivepub "Like us on Facebook") - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/amarchivepub/ "Follow us on Instagram") - [Listen to our Podcast](https://americanarchive.org/about-the-american-archive/podcast "Listen to our Podcast") - [Follow us on Mastodon](https://mastodon.social/@amarchivepub "Follow us on Mastodon") - [Join us on reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/amarchivepub/ "Join us on reddit") *** - [The Library of Congress](http://www.loc.gov/ "The Library of Congress") - ### A Collaboration Between - [GBH Archives](http://openvault.wgbh.org/ "GBH Archives") #### Sign up for the AAPB newsletter! 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Readable Markdown	This source set consists of video clips which document the Watergate scandal as it unfolded between 1972 and 1974, as well as one documentary and a retrospective appraisal on the 50th anniversary of the break-in. The sources cover issues germane to the scandal: freedom of the press, the oversight role of Congress and the separation of powers, the concept of executive privilege and the legal battles over access to the White House tapes, and first-person perspectives on the relationship between Watergate and democracy. #### Background Information Before engaging with this resource set, students should be familiar with the following: - The conservative resurgence of 1968 - The conspiracy theories of Richard Nixon - The Committee to Re-Elect the President and Nixon administration officials - The timeline of the Watergate scandal - The media coverage of the Watergate hearings - The constitutional concept of separation of powers * #### Essential Question To what extent did the Watergate scandal represent the subversion of democracy or the resilience of democracy? * #### General Discussion Questions - What role did broadcast journalism play in Watergate? - How did Congress assert its powers during the Watergate scandal? - What did Watergate reveal about the role of the judiciary in the United States? - What impact did the Watergate scandal have upon public trust in government? - In the absence of incriminating evidence, would Nixon have resigned? - What is the most important legacy of the Watergate scandal? * #### Classroom Activities 1\) The Separation of Powers and Congressional Oversight: Now and Then Ask students to watch the following sources: - [James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/2-512-d795718g4z) - [John Dean Testifies Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/3-512-251fj2b06r) - [Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/4-512-j09w08x77b) - [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/7-512-gm81j9840b) The [Senate hearings ran for 51 days](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/1-512-gf0ms3m89s) over the summer of 1973 and were televised gavel to gavel. Who testified, and what impact do you believe the cooperation of witnesses had on public perceptions? To what degree do you feel the excesses of the Nixon White House lend credence to the notion of an imperial presidency? How did the members of the House Judiciary Committee approach the impeachment hearings in 1974? Why did so many reference the Constitution and what did they say? Whose remarks resonated with you most and why? Ask students to read this NPR [article](https://www.npr.org/2022/06/06/1103098399/watergate-committee-hearings-may-be-both-an-inspiration-and-a-hard-act-to-follow) on the January 6 Committee and to compare it to the Watergate hearings in terms of its process and the political make-up of the committees. Identify the factors that differentiated the House of Representatives investigation into the January 6th, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol from the Watergate investigations. 2\) The Lessons of Watergate Ask students to watch the following sources: - [An Ordinary Citizen Discusses the Morality of Watergate (1974)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/6-512-3f4kk95f7h) - [Congresswoman Barbara Jordan Reflects on Watergate (1975)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/8-512-ms3jw87z64) - [Garrett Graff Discusses His Book, Watergate: A New History (2022)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/9-065273f33da) Rep. Barbara Jordan (D, Texas) and Grace Crawley agree that Watergate exposed the lack of integrity and morality in government, but they disagree when it comes to preventing future scandals. What solutions does Jordan endorse? What does Crawley see as the answer? Garrett Graff, writing on the 50th anniversary of the Watergate break-in, also weighs in. What lesson does he draw from the Watergate scandal? What lessons do you think should be drawn? Ask students to put themselves in Crawley’s place: As a citizen in 1974, what would they say in a letter to the editor of Time magazine? What points would they make about political integrity, accountability, and upholding the Constitution? 3\) The Judiciary v. the Executive Ask students to watch the following sources: - [The President and the Courts (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/5-9a47dc598f3) - [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/7-512-gm81j9840b) What role did the Special Prosecutor and the Senate Select Committee play in getting key evidence released? Why did Nixon refuse to surrender the tapes and what specific arguments did he make? Do you find these persuasive? Imagine you are a lawyer arguing on behalf of the United States in the 1974 [United States v. Nixon](https://www.oyez.org/cases/1973/73-1766) case: What points would you make in order to convince the Supreme Court that President Nixon should surrender all the White House tapes? 4\) Interpreting Watershed Moments Ask students to watch: - [James McCord’s Testimony Before the Senate Select Watergate Committee (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/2-512-d795718g4z) - [Senator Howard Baker Asks John Dean a Key Question (1973)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/4-512-j09w08x77b) - [Threatened With Impeachment, Nixon Resigns (1983)](https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/watergate/7-512-gm81j9840b) Why do you think these were turning points in the Watergate scandal? What made them so dramatic and in what way did they advance the public’s understanding of the inner workings of the Nixon administration? Political cartoonists like Herblock (Herbert Block), Pat Oliphant, and Draper Hill captured many of the watershed moments of the Watergate scandal in their work. Some of the most memorable were Herblock’s [Watergate cartoons](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/cartoon.html) published in The Washington Post (1972-74). Using Herblock’s cartoons as a model, ask students to create a political cartoon based on the key events documented by the video sources or others that they identify. If time permits, create a classroom exhibit based on the cartoons and ask students to lead tours in which they interpret the meaning of the cartoons and explain their historical significance. *
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