Final answer:
The Watergate scandal involved a break-in at the Democratic headquarters by Nixon's supporters, leading to Nixon's resignation after a cover-up effort. The scandal unveiled Nixon's administration's illegal activities including surveillance and obstruction of justice. The downfall of Nixon's presidency and the subsequent pardoning by President Gerald Ford are key historical events associated with Watergate.
Step-by-step explanation:
Notes on the Watergate Scandal
The Watergate scandal began with a burglary at the Democratic National Committee headquarters located in the Watergate complex in Washington, DC, on June 17, 1972. The break-in was part of a series of illegal activities aimed at helping President Richard Nixon win reelection, a campaign that was already on track for a landslide victory. Nixon's complicity in the subsequent cover-up effort led to his resignation.
The Watergate scandal was a multifaceted political scandal that involved illegal surveillance, burglary, and attempts to obstruct justice. Among those deeply involved were Nixon's attorney general, John Mitchell, chief of staff, H. R. Haldeman, and chief domestic advisor, John Ehrlichman, with the approval of President Nixon himself. The administration's actions were largely coordinated by the Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP).
Dubbed the "White House Plumbers," a group of former CIA and FBI agents engaged in spying on Nixon's political opponents and perceived enemies within the government, even tapping phones illegally. The Senate hearings during the summer of 1973 were broadcast on national television, gripping the American public as members of Nixon's administration testified about their involvement in the scandal. The work of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, aided by their anonymous source "Deep Throat" — later revealed to be Mark Felt — was pivotal in uncovering the extent of the White House's involvement.
In July 1974, the House Judiciary Committee passed three articles of impeachment against Nixon, and with the Supreme Court ordering the release of tape recordings that implicated Nixon directly in the cover-up, he resigned on August 8, 1974. In the wake of the scandal, Gerald Ford assumed the presidency and later issued a pardon for Nixon, a move that marked his short presidency along with a focus on the alleviation of economic issues and the continuation of detente with the Soviet Union and China.