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Defining Documents in American History: Watergate
The term “Watergate” has become synonymous with political corruption, intrigue and scandal, but what were the details of the events from 1972-1974 that led to the scandal becoming so well-known and climactic that it led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, and has reverberated throughout the years ever since?
From the events leading up to the wiretapping of the Democratic Party's headquarters in 1972, to the investigative reporting of Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, and others that exposed the scandal to the general public, to Nixon’s eventual resignation after the “smoking gun” audiotape revealed the depth of his involvement, the Watergate scandal dominated the American consciousness and added to a growing sense of public mistrust during the 1970s. Details of the scandal were further entrenched with the release of Woodward and Bernstein’s non-fiction book All the President’s Men (1974) and subsequent movie adaptation in 1976, as well as Nixon’s own infamous interview with British journalist David Frost in 1977. It set the benchmark for scandals to come, with the “-gate” suffix becoming part of popular culture in relation to naming other corrupt, generally political, events.
This volume explores the development of the scandal, its exposure and aftermath, and lingering effect on American politics. Documents examined include articles, committee transcripts, legislative debates, speeches, historical accounts, court cases, and more. Thirty-nine primary source and historical documents including book excerpts, court opinions, debates, and interview letters, to name a few are included within this volume. These carefully selected documents provide historical context and insights into the Watergate scandal from Nixon’s presidential campaign to the residual effects of the scandal that still influence politics today.
The material is organized into four sections, each beginning with a brief introduction that examines the importance of the topic through a variety of historical documents.
The four sections include:
- Nixon and His Political Nexus
- Nixon and Watergate
- After Watergate
- Post-Watergate Political Parallels
The documents contained within these sections provide an overview of the history and significance of the Watergate scandal, exploring the immediate repercussions as well as the long-term domino effect this event had in reshaping American politics and history.
Each Historical Document is supported by a critical essay, written by historians, teachers, and researchers, that includes a Summary Overview, Defining Moment, About the Author, Document Analysis, and Essential Themes. An important feature of each essay is a close reading of the primary source that develops broader themes, such as the author’s rhetorical purpose, social or class position, point of view, and other relevant issues. Each essay also includes a section entitled Bibliography and Additional Reading that provides suggestions for further readings and research.
Appendices in this book include:
- Chronological List which arranges all documents by date;
- Web Resources, an annotated list of websites that offer valuable supplemental resources;
- Bibliography lists of helpful articles and books for further study
About the Series
The Defining Documents series provides in-depth commentary and analysis on the most important primary source documents in the United States and the world. The Defining Documents series is perfect for students, those researching a particular era, or anyone interested in world history. Visit www.salempress.com for more information about additional titles in this series.
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