Richard Nixon and Watergate

7/29/2019 Richard Nixon and Watergate

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Es s e n t i a l Am e r i c a n H i s t o r y

T ea c h i n g Am e r i ca n H i s t o r y Gr a n t

L e ss o n s f r o m t h e Co l d W a r

Brittany Bowers

Lafayette High School

Document Based Grant Lesson Plan

Nixon Presidential Library

Nixon Presidential Library: The Publics Perception of President Richard Nixon Befo

Watergate Scandal

Essential Questions:1. How did the Watergate scandal change the American view of politics?

2. How did the Watergate events cause the American people to view the posof the presidency differently?

3. How did this scandal change the publics view of Nixon?

Objectives: American History

1. Students will be able to analyze the domestic policies of the Nixon

Administration by using primary source documents.

2. Students will examine the decisions, actions, events of the Watergate affadraw conclusions regarding the publics perception of President Nixon by u

primary source documents.3. Analyze Primary Source Political Cartoons

4. Exchange information while recognizing bias and multiple points of view.5. Analyze sources to recognize bias and points of view.

Procedures:1. Begin by reviewing the basic facts from the previous lesson to ensure that

students are aware of the overview of the Watergate scandal. This will befollowed by several political cartoons to ensure the students understand th

scandal and events. See Item 1-2


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2. The students will discuss the article from Times Magazine in May of 1973

which examines the citizens initial opinion of Richard Nixon several month

after the scandal occurred. They will then analyze another article fromNovember 1973 that revisits these opinions after more details of the

investigations are released to the public. They will formulate ideas/thoug

about what Americans were thinking during this period of the investigatioand compare it to how they felt just five months later. They will also draw

their own conclusions about how the opinions are directly related to the reof the United States they live in or the political party to which they wereaffiliated. See Item 3-4

3. A short slide show (projected on Smart Board) will then show students tha

of August of 1973 there were many disputed and undisputed facts that weshedding light on the investigation. Issues such as the money for wiretap

are examined. This will show students that this was the information giventhe public and will further help them to make their decision on the public

perception. There will also be a Gallup poll from 1973 that reveals Nixonsapproval ratings of the people compared to several previous presidents.The graph points out the major crises that occurred during that particular

See Item 5 -7

4. After the students have had a chance to work with the documents they wil

answer the Document Based Questions examining the conclusions theyhave drawn.

Document Based Questions:9

Using the documents, how did the Watergate scandal change Am9 Using the primary source documents analyze the American public

presidency after the Watergate Affair.

9 Using the documents, compare and contrast the publics perceptioafter the Watergate affair.

1. A number of primary documents will be used in the lesson, such as politic

cartoons, graphs, and articles. Students will complete a document analys


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when analyzing the political cartoons and graphs.2. Students will recognize the bias and point of view of the Times Magazine

documents. All media outlets can be slanted to some degree.

3. What was the intention ofTimes Magazine when conducting the poll?4. Analyze the documents given to find similarities and differences to show h

the citizens opinions of Richard Nixon have changed over a period of time

5. What personal background can you suggest about the citizens that wereinterviewed after reading their remarks? Political party, Religion, Educatio

Background, etc.

Teacher Notes:

Students will have a prior knowledge of the Watergate Scandal events from t

lesson. This may include a timeline of events and key players, while understathe scandal.

The Watergate Special Prosecution Force Memorandum may also be used to s

evidence for indictment or against indictment.

When analyzing the Time articles, students can be arranged in small groups,

students per group.

Document Based Questions will be given individually and act as a Summative

aligned to the Essential Questions.

Primary Sources Used:

1. Cartoon Analysis Sheet. National Archives

http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/cartoon_analysis_work2. Political Cartoon. Times Magazine. May 1973. Richard Nixon Library and Muse

3. Political Cartoon. Times Magazine. May 1973. Richard Nixon Library and Muse4. How Main Street Views Watergate. Times Magazine. May 1973. Richard Nixo
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/cartoon_analysis_worksheet.pdfhttp://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/cartoon_analysis_worksheet.pdf


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5. Main Street Revisited: Changing Views on Watergate. Times Magazine. NoveNixon Library and Museum.

6. Watergate I: The Evidence to Date. Times Magazine. August 20th, 1973. Ric

Museum.7. Where the Dubios Money Went. Times Magazine. May 1972. Richard Nixon L

8. Popularity Highs and Lows. Times Magazine. December 1973. Richard Nixon


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Assessment and Scoring Guide:

Uses four or more documentsaccurately to formulate ideas Four or more

documents

are used toformulate

ideas3

Two or Threedocuments


ideas2

One or nodocuments


ideas1

Makes connections betweendocuments

Makesstrong

connections

betweendocuments

and supportstheir

findings3

Makesconnections

between

documentsbut needs

moresupporting

details2

Finds little orno

connection

betweendocuments

and provideslittle support

1

Cites Documents

Correctly

citesdocuments

with allinformation

provided3

Cites

informationbut lacking

someinformation

2

Does not

citedocument

correctly orlacks

information1


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Bias and Point of View Identifiesthe

bias/point of

view andhow it

impactspublic

perception

3

Identifies

bias/point ofview but does

not

understandhow it impacts

publicperception

2

Does not

identifybias/point of

view and

does notunderstand

how itimpacts

public

perception1

Prior historical contentIncludesexcellent

priorhistorical

content toaccurately

supportfindings

3

Prior content

is evident butlacks details

to supportfindings

2

Does not

provide priorhistorical

content tosupport

findings1

Recognizes change over time

Recognizes achange of

views over aperiod of

time anddocuments

those

changes3

Looselyrecognizes

changes butdoes not

support theirfindings

2

Does not

find achange of

views over aperiod of

time

1

Total


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Item #1:

Taken from Times, 1973


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Item #2:



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Item 3 and Item 4 Main Street Articles

Item 5 Evidence Disputed


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Item #6:



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Item #7:



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Taken from www.nixonlibrary.gov
http://www.nixonlibrary.gov/http://www.nixonlibrary.gov/


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