My Watergate Party Exhibit

Watergate Exhibit

Nixon's Official Letter of Resignation: this is extremely significant because it is Nixon's official letter of resignation from presidency that he gave on August 9, 1974, and this allowed Gerald Ford to become America's next president. This fits into the movie time-period because 4 days previous to this he turned over three tapes that implicated him, and in fear of impeachment, he decided to resign. 

Government Exhibit 133: Chapstick Tube with Hidden Microphone: these secret recorders were used by the Watergate break-in team to stay in communication with E. Hunt and G. Liddy during the break in. They were discovered in Hunt's White House office safe and this led to the development of evidence linking Nixon to the break-in. This fits into the movie's time-period because it is evidence that was used to aide in the break-in of the Watergate Headquarters. 

Original campaign pins from Nixon, Humphrey and Wallace: this is Nixon's original reelection of 1968 campaign pin along with his competitors Humphrey and Wallace. This is important to the film's history because it offers a glimpse into legal aspects of Nixon's campaign strategy that were successful aside from the Watergate conspiracy, and it shows what campaigning looked like within this time period.   

The original photo mugshots of the five watergate burglars: these are the original mugshots of the five men who were arrested at the second break in and charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice for wire-tapping and stealing documents. This is important to the film's history because these were the original men caught for the Watergate scandal that led the trail back to Nixon. 

Address Book of Watergate burglar Bernard Barker: the police found this on Barker when they were caught for the second break-in. This address book contained the number of E. Howard Hunt which led the police to connecting the break-in to the White House. This is crucial to the film's history because without this evidence the break-in may have never been connected to Nixon and the Watergate Scandal would have never broken. 

Nixon's original white house watergate recorder and tapes: these tapes were Nixon's original secret recordings of every conversation that happened within the oval office. It fits into the film history because these tapes were such a big part of the Watergate Scandal due to Nixon's refusal to release them and the illegality of them.

Nixon's original watergate letter to the court: this is Nixon's original 2 page letter he sent back to the court refusing the subpoenas  for the tapes and his explanation of why. This fits into the movie history because these letters were directly involved within the United States v. Nixon court case.

Original Subpoena form from the grand jury to Nixon: this is the actual court subpoena sent to Nixon that called him to testify in court and submit the documents and tapes. This is important to the movie history because Nixon chose to fight and reject this which led to more drama and lengthening of the entire scandal and also made Nixon look guilty.