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Quiz about WatergateThe Fall of Richard M Nixon

Watergate--The Fall of Richard M. Nixon Quiz

Ready for another look at America's greatest (or worst) political scandal? This is a pretty tough one, so good luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by scipio23. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
scipio23

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
11,248

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
1869

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. What ex-FBI man was in charge of planning and executing the Watergate break-in? Hint

Frank Sturgis

E. Howard Hunt

G. Gordon Liddy

Bernard Barker

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Question 2 of 15

2. What presidential election year was the Nixon team preparing for when the break-in occurred?

Answer: (a year - four digits)

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Question 3 of 15

3. Who was the target of the break-in? Hint

Ted Kennedy

Lawrence O'Brien

George Mcgovern

Tip O'Neil

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Question 4 of 15

4. How many men were arrested by D.C. police for breaking into the Democratic National HQ? Hint

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Question 5 of 15

5. Who was Nixon's first Chief of Staff? Hint

John Ehrlichman

H.R. Haldeman

Charles Colson

John Mitchell

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Question 6 of 15

6. On March 21, 1973 John Dean tried to warn Nixon of the dangers of covering up the break-in. What memorable metaphor did he use? Hint

'There is a beast loose in the White House'

'The dam is breaking'

'The sky is falling'

'There is a cancer on the Presidency'

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Question 7 of 15

7. What position did Dean occupy in the Nixon White House? Hint

Special Assistant to the President

Counsel to the President

Chief of Domestic Affairs

Attorney General

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Question 8 of 15

8. Who sent a letter to Judge John Sirica during the break-in trial, asserting that there was pressure from the White House to keep silent about the burglars' higher-ups who were involved? Hint

G. Gordon Liddy

James McCord

E. Howard Hunt

John Dean

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Question 9 of 15

9. In the 'smoking gun' tape, Nixon is heard telling Haldeman to get the CIA to turn the FBI off the investigation. What reason does Nixon tell Haldeman to give the CIA? Hint

'It would blow the whole Bay of Pigs thing.'

'The CIA has operations we'll uncover if they don't do it.'

'It would blow the Kennedy thing.'

'The CIA was involved in Watergate.'

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Question 10 of 15

10. What was the one state which Nixon did not carry in the election? Hint

Maine

Massachusetts

California

Illinois

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Question 11 of 15

11. Spiro Agnew resigned over a scandal that had occurred while he was governor of what state? Hint

California

Idaho

Vermont

Maryland

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Question 12 of 15

12. Who revealed the existence of the taping system in the Oval Office? Hint

John Dean

Rosemary Woods

Jeb Magruder

Alexander Butterfield

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Question 13 of 15

13. Who replaced Haldeman after he resigned? Hint

Ron Zeigler

Alexander Haig

Leonard Garment

John Ehrlichman

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Question 14 of 15

14. Who carried out Nixon's order to fire Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox in 'the Saturday Night Massacre'? Hint

Robert Bork

Alexander Haig

no one, Nixon did it himself

Henry Kissinger

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Question 15 of 15

15. What reason did Nixon give as his reason for resigning? Hint

A majority of the American people no longer trusted him

He felt too guilty over the things he had done

his political base in Congress had eroded

His health was too poor

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What ex-FBI man was in charge of planning and executing the Watergate break-in?

Answer: G. Gordon Liddy

Liddy had gained notoriety previously by busting ex-Harvard professor Dr. Timothy Leary. He is now a radio talk-show host.

2. What presidential election year was the Nixon team preparing for when the break-in occurred?

Answer: 1972

3. Who was the target of the break-in?

Answer: Lawrence O'Brien

Nixon thought O'Brien, the chairman of the DNC, had ties to reclusive millionaire Howard Hughes, which if revealed would damage the Democrats.

4. How many men were arrested by D.C. police for breaking into the Democratic National HQ?

Answer: 5

Though seven were indicted in the original Watergate trial, the five burglars plus Hunt and Liddy.

5. Who was Nixon's first Chief of Staff?

Answer: H.R. Haldeman

Haldeman was probably the most powerful and influental Chief of Staff in presidential history.

6. On March 21, 1973 John Dean tried to warn Nixon of the dangers of covering up the break-in. What memorable metaphor did he use?

Answer: 'There is a cancer on the Presidency'

Dean's warning was obviously not heeded.

7. What position did Dean occupy in the Nixon White House?

Answer: Counsel to the President

Dean replaced Ehrlichman when the latter man became Chief of Domestic Affairs.

8. Who sent a letter to Judge John Sirica during the break-in trial, asserting that there was pressure from the White House to keep silent about the burglars' higher-ups who were involved?

Answer: James McCord

This was the first real crack in the cover-up.

9. In the 'smoking gun' tape, Nixon is heard telling Haldeman to get the CIA to turn the FBI off the investigation. What reason does Nixon tell Haldeman to give the CIA?

Answer: 'It would blow the whole Bay of Pigs thing.'

To this day, no one is sure what Nixon meant by that statement. Haldeman thought 'Bay of Pigs' was a code for the Kennedy assassination.

10. What was the one state which Nixon did not carry in the election?

Answer: Massachusetts

After Watergate reached its peak, a bumper sticker was made which had an outline of Mass. that said 'We told you so!'

11. Spiro Agnew resigned over a scandal that had occurred while he was governor of what state?

Answer: Maryland

He pleaded no contest to one count and resigned the Vice Presidency.

12. Who revealed the existence of the taping system in the Oval Office?

Answer: Alexander Butterfield

Butterfield thought that tapes' existence was already known. The tapes were Richard Nixon's final undoing.

13. Who replaced Haldeman after he resigned?

Answer: Alexander Haig

Haig would go on to serve in the Reagan administration.

14. Who carried out Nixon's order to fire Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox in 'the Saturday Night Massacre'?

Answer: Robert Bork

This could have been part of the reason whey the Senate refused to confirm Bork as a Supreme Court Justice when Reagan nominated him.

15. What reason did Nixon give as his reason for resigning?

Answer: his political base in Congress had eroded

Nixon was 'no quitter,' but he knew that impeachment was a certainty if he stayed in office.

Source: Author scipio23

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