Name_______________________________________________________________Date____________________________________Per___
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Nixon’s Presidency
Watergate Scandal
Nixon’s Background •
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Born in Yorba Linda, California Graduated from Duke Law School Lieutenant Commander in WWII Elected to the House of Representatives in 1946 and to the Senate in 1950 • Vice President for Eisenhower from ___________ until ____________ • Lost Presidential election of 1960 to_____________ He was a ____________________________ •
This means he: •
•
•
Defended the status quo Opposed rapid change Disliked gov’t involvement in economy o Wanted to give more power to _____________________ o In other words—make gov’t smaller, have less of a role in everyday lives The economy • During the 1970s, the economic prosperity of the 1950s and 1960s began to disappear. • Economic troubles began under Johnson. o _________________________________ to fund the Vietnam War and the Great Society program without raising taxes. o created ​
_______________________­ ​
increase in prices, devalue of the dollar • One of the biggest problems facing Nixon was a weak economy. • During 1967 & 1973, inflation & unemployment increased. This is known as ​
______________ Oil/Gas Shortage • In 1973 ____________ announced an ​
___________________ ​
of petroleum to countries that supported Israel. • The price of a barrel of crude oil increased from $3 in 1973 to $30 in 1980. • 2009 it was over $100 per barrel • After OPEC raised its prices, the price controls created an __________________. Foreign Policy • Nixon’s foreign policy had at least 3 Major Successes: – 1. US got out of the _________________ – 2. Re­opens relations with ____________ – 3.________________________ with the USSR • “_______________” – relaxing of tensions Visit to China • President Richard Nixon was the _________ president to visit Communist _______ in 1972 • The visit was extensively covered on television. This trip led to the US later recognizing the government of the People’s Republic of _______________________. Visit to USSR • In May, 1972, Nixon visited the Soviet Union and met with Soviet leader, Leonid _________________. • Nixon and Kissinger used the new relationship with China to put pressure on the Soviets to agree to a treaty limiting antiballistic missiles. • This led to the ____________________________________________ Election 1972 • Nixon wins, partly b/c of détente, partly because of his promise that peace was just around the corner in Vietnam Ford as VP • Nixon defeats democratic George McGovern in 1972. • Nixon’s Vice President Spiro Agnew resigns amid charges of bribery, tax evasion, and unethical conduct. • Nixon appoints _____________________ as his VP Watergate Scandal • During the campaign Nixon had ordered five of his aides to break into the ________________________ Party headquarters to search for “anything they could find” to discredit the Democrats. •
The men were caught and ______________________ denied and tried to ________________________ any connection to the incident. • Nixon also had a ______________________________ system in the Whitehouse. He was ordered to turn in the tapes. When he finally did, there was ____________________ of “blank silence”. • This led to a an in­depth investigation which led to Nixon’s Nixon’s Resignation Speech • Nixon resigned on August 9,1974. • He never admitted to criminal wrongdoing, although he conceded errors of judgment. During the Watergate scandal, Nixon's approval rating fell to ____________ • Gerald Ford became the ______ president, the only man never to be elected to the presidency or vice presidency Watergate Impact • 25 members served prison terms • Reaffirmed the role of the _________ • Proved the President is ______________________________________ • People __________________________ after Pentagon Papers and Watergate National Geographic ​
FINAL REPORT​
: WATERGATE 1. What are the burglars looking
for? 2. Why do the members of the
Committee to re-elect the president
resorts to illegal activities?
3. What does the Nixon campaign
hope to learn?
4. Why does the taped door cause
so much of a concern?
5. What is Nixon paranoid about?
6. What are Nixon’s aids concerned
that the press will find?
7. How important is Deep Throat to
the Watergate story?
8. Does the White House know
who’s leaking the information?
9. Who’s paying the burglar’s legal
bills?
10. Did Nixon play any role in the
Watergate break-in?
11. Why does Nixon dismiss his
closest aides?
12. What did the President know
and when did he know it?
13. What prompts the Committee to
ask about listening devices?
14. Why is the President taping his
conversation?
15. Why doesn’t Nixon destroy the
tapes?
16. (on the 18-minute gap in the
tapes) Was the tape deliberately
erased?
17. Would the Senate have removed
Nixon from office?