Modern American History

There's an old adage that says that history is always written by the winners. Although this is not always the case, it is true that people's sense of historical events is often influenced by the viewpoints of the historians who write about them.

During the Watergate scandal in 1974, many policy pundits wrote columns demanding that President Richard Nixon resign from the presidency because he was, in their view, clearly culpable for the Watergate break-ins. Not all pundits felt this way, however. Click here and here to read articles that offer differing views of President Nixon at the height of the Watergate scandal.

Complete the following for this assignment:

Step 1: Summarize the arguments made in each of the two articles regarding the conduct of President Nixon. How might each of the author's views impact the reader's understanding of the Watergate crisis?

Step 2: Describe how the Watergate events changed American views toward politics and politicians. In your view, how did these events change the press coverage of politicians?

Step 3: Speculate about how the Watergate event coverage might have been different (better or worse) in the age of social media and smartphones. Would it have lasted as long? Why or why not? Are these innovations in technology helpful or harmful to the way that people understand current events?

At least 2 credible sources are required for this assignment. Your sources should be cited using APA format; both in-text citations and references. Please use the CTU Undergraduate Writing Style Guide for assistance on APA formatting.

References

Burch, D. (1974, May 14). In defense of Richard Nixon. Retrieved from The Harvard Crimson Web site:http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1974/5/14/in-defense-of-richard-nixon-pithe/

The Washington Post. (1973, May 1). Editorial: Watergate: The unfinished business. Retrieved fromhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/watergate/articles/050173-2.htm