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Lesson

Comparing Impeachments across U.S. History

Duration
75 min
Grade
9–12
Published
Nov 15, 2020
Portrait of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, in formal attire.
Use this Lesson alongside The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson Decision Point to introduce students to the concept of impeachment and how it has been used throughout U.S. history.

Objectives:

  • Students will review the Founders’ intentions for the practice of impeachment using excerpts from Madison’s Notes on the Debates of the Federal Convention, The Federalist Papers, and the Constitution.
  • Students will compare the contexts for the impeachment proceedings of Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump.
  • Students will evaluate the significance of the process of impeachment as a component of the system of check and balances.

Materials

Lesson Components

ActivityWhat Were the Founders Intentions Regarding Impeachment?

A role play activity to help students explore the constitutional provisions related to impeachment and comprehension questions.

ActivityImpeachment in U.S. History

Narratives and comprehension questions that explore the three times that the Senate has tried to impeachment and the resignation of Richard Nixon.

Lesson plan

75 minClick a phase to open it

More Information

Use this Lesson alongside The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson essay to introduce students to the concept of impeachment and how it has been used throughout U.S. history.

Standards

Advanced Placement

  • Topic 5.10 · Reconstruction
  • Theme · Politics and Power
  • Learning Objective · Unit 5K
  • Historical Development · 5.3.II.C
  • Reasoning Skill · Sourcing and Situation
  • Reasoning Skill · Source Claims and Evidence
  • Reasoning Skill · Contextualization
  • Reasoning Skill · Making Connections
  • Reasoning Skill · Argumentation
  • Reasoning Process · Comparison
  • Reasoning Process · Causation
  • Reasoning Process · Continuity and Change

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Related materials

Black and white portrait of a woman with curly hair, smiling, wearing a collared garment.
ActivityBarbara Jordan, Speech on Impeachment, July 25, 1974

Use this primary source text to explore key historical events.

Presidents and the Constitution Handout A Impeachment and the Constitution
ActivityHandout A: Impeachment and the Constitution
Presidents and the Constitution Handout A The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
ActivityHandout A: The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Presidents and the Constitution Handout A The Impeachment of Bill Clinton
ActivityHandout A: The Impeachment of Bill Clinton
Presidents and the Constitution Handout B Glossary Cards (The Impeachment of Bill Clinton)
ActivityHandout B: Glossary Cards (The Impeachment of Bill Clinton)
Presidents and the Constitution Handout B The Tenure of Office Act Excerpts (The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson)
ActivityHandout B: The Tenure of Office Act Excerpts (The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson)
Presidents and the Constitution Handout C Glossary (The Impeachment of Bill Clinton)
ActivityHandout C: Glossary (The Impeachment of Bill Clinton)
Presidents and the Constitution Handout D Lickert Scale Signs (The Impeachment of Bill Clinton)
ActivityHandout D: Lickert Scale Signs (The Impeachment of Bill Clinton)
Handout discussing the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson, including an introduction and directions for discussion.
ActivityHandout B: The Impeachment of President Andrew Johnson
Document titled "Excerpts from the Articles of Impeachment of Andrew Johnson" with a formal layout and text.
ActivityHandout C: Excerpts from the Articles of Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Portrait of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, in formal attire.
EssayImpeachment and the Constitution

This is an introductory essay from Presidents and the Constitution.

Political cartoon depicting Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction policies with various scenes of citizens and protests.
EssayThe Impeachment of Andrew Johnson

By the end of this section, you will explain the effects of government policy during Reconstruction on society from 1865 to 1877.