Nixon & watergate

• Who where the Whitehouse plumbers?

  • People hired by Nixon to prevent secret documents being leaked
  • They would spy on Nixon's political rivals
  • Had cruel stories about Nixon's rival's wife published
  • Were caught trying to find dirt on another one of Nixon's rivals from his psychiatrist's office
• Effects of Watergate 


  • politicians are now held more responsible in the press
  • Political journalism without substantial evidence normalised
  • Honesty valued more than capability in America
  • All politicians seen as corrupt
  • Many new laws passed
• Laws passed because of water gate 


  • 1973 - All house and senate meeting open to the public
  • 1973 - Presidents need congress approval to declare law
  • 1974 - Limit set on election campaign spending
  • 1974 - Access to government documents you are mentioned in
  • 1974 - Stricter rules on how government can collect information on individuals
  • 1974 - Stricter rules on how presidents can use governmental money
• What date did the Watergate scandal break in occur?

  17 Jun 1972
• How many men were arrested during the Watergate break-in?

  5 men
• What was the target of the break-in during the Watergate scandal?

  The offices of the National Democratic Committee
• What did James McCord claim in his letter to the judge on 13 March 1973?

  That White House staff ordered the burglars to lie in trial
• What was the outcome of the trial for the five burglars?

  5 pleaded guilty and 2 were found guilty
• What significant action did Nixon take on 30 April 1973?

  He sacked the White House chief of staff
• What was the impact of Sam Ervin's investigation in May 1973?

  It shocked America with government corruption
• What did Nixon release in October 1973?

  Edited transcripts of conversations in his office
• What was revealed in the transcripts released by Nixon in April 1974?

  They contained censored swearing and shocking discussions
• What did the Supreme Court order Nixon to do on 24 July 1974?

  To release the recordings
• What did the recordings reveal about Nixon's actions?

  He blocked the initial investigation and abused his power
• What was the significance of the televised hearings during the Watergate investigation?

  They shocked America with the extent of government corruption
• How did the Watergate scandal affect American politics?

  It led to increased skepticism towards government officials
• How did Nixon's knowledge of the burglary and cover-up come to light?

  Through investigations and released recordings
• In June 1972, five men broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington DC. They were caught red-handed but it took until March 1973 for all six burglars to be sentenced to prison terms ranging from one year to eight years.
• The Watergate scandal was the biggest political crisis to hit America since the Great Depression