August 1974Reputable sourceWell documented
Watergate and the Resignation of Nixon
On the timeline · around August 1974 ·
What happened
A 1972 break-in at Democratic headquarters in the Watergate complex unraveled into a scandal that exposed a web of political sabotage and cover-up reaching the White House. Facing near-certain impeachment, President Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974 — the only U.S. president ever to do so.
Why it matters
Watergate demonstrated that no one, not even the president, is above the law, but it also deepened public cynicism about government and reshaped the relationship between politics, the press, and the presidency.
Sources
- HISTORY (A&E). Watergate · Reputable source