Introduction / Context:
This question checks knowledge of a major event in modern political history, the Watergate scandal in the United States. The scandal involved a break in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and a cover up linked to the administration of a sitting president. It led to a constitutional crisis and finally to the resignation of that president. Knowing which leader resigned helps learners remember the seriousness of the scandal and how democratic systems can remove leaders who are involved in wrongdoing or cover ups.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The question refers to the Watergate scandal in the United States.
- It asks specifically which President was forced to resign.
- All options are names of well known American presidents from the twentieth century.
- The learner is expected to recall the correct historical match between the scandal and the president.
Concept / Approach:
The core concept is the connection between Watergate and presidential accountability in the United States. The break in at the Watergate complex occurred in 1972 during the administration of President Richard Nixon. Subsequent investigations exposed attempts to obstruct justice and misuse government agencies. Faced with almost certain impeachment in Congress, Nixon chose to resign in 1974. He remains the only United States president who has resigned from office. The method is to recall this unique fact and match the scandal to Richard Nixon among the listed options.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Recognise that Watergate refers to a political scandal in the early nineteen seventies in the United States.
2. Recall that this scandal is always linked in textbooks with President Richard Nixon.
3. Remember that Nixon resigned in nineteen seventy four to avoid likely impeachment and removal from office.
4. Check the options and identify Richard Nixon among other twentieth century presidents like Johnson, Ford, Carter, and Reagan.
5. Confirm that none of the other presidents listed resigned because of Watergate and therefore Nixon is the only correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
An alternative way to verify the answer is to recall that Gerald Ford, also listed in the options, became president after the resignation of Nixon and later granted him a presidential pardon. This means Ford could not be the person who resigned. Lyndon B Johnson chose not to run again during the Vietnam War period but did not resign. Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan completed their terms without resignation. Since only one United States president has ever resigned and that person is Richard Nixon, the match between the name and the Watergate scandal is firmly confirmed.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Lyndon B Johnson faced criticism during the Vietnam War and declined to seek another term, but he did not resign from the presidency due to Watergate or any other scandal.
Gerald Ford assumed office after Nixon resigned and is known for pardoning Nixon, not for resigning himself in connection with Watergate.
Jimmy Carter served one full term as president and lost his re election bid in nineteen eighty, but there was no resignation linked to Watergate.
Ronald Reagan completed two full terms and, although his administration faced the Iran Contra affair, he was not forced to resign and did not leave office early.
Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse who resigned and who succeeded the resigning president. This can lead to mistakenly choosing Gerald Ford instead of Richard Nixon. Another confusion comes from mixing up different political scandals over several decades. To avoid these issues, it helps to remember a simple fact: Richard Nixon is the only United States president who resigned from office, and his resignation was directly connected to the Watergate scandal. Fixing this association clearly in memory will prevent mix ups in similar questions.
Final Answer:
The correct answer is
Richard Nixon.
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