History
Watergate Deep Dive Quiz
Nixon, the tapes, Deep Throat, and the journalism that brought down a president
Nixon, the tapes, Deep Throat, and the journalism that brought down a president
The identity of 'Deep Throat' remained one of American journalism's greatest mysteries for more than 30 years — until FBI Associate Director Mark Felt confessed in a 2005 Vanity Fair article at age 91. His clandestine meetings in a Washington parking garage with reporter Bob Woodward helped unravel the greatest political scandal in US history, ultimately forcing Richard Nixon to become the only US president ever to resign from office. What began as a bungled break-in at the Watergate complex on June 17, 1972 exposed a sprawling culture of political espionage, illegal wiretapping, and presidential obstruction that shook American democracy to its core.
Each round presents 10 randomized questions from a pool of 50, with four multiple-choice options and instant feedback after every answer. Your final score comes with a performance tier and shareable results.
You'll cover the five Watergate burglars and their CIA connections, John Dean's pivotal Senate testimony, the White House Plumbers unit, the Saturday Night Massacre, Alexander Butterfield's revelation of the secret taping system, the 18.5-minute tape gap, the Supreme Court's US v. Nixon ruling, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's investigative journalism, and Gerald Ford's controversial pardon.
Deep Throat was Mark Felt, Associate Director of the FBI and the bureau's second-highest-ranking official during the Watergate era. He secretly guided Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein throughout their investigation. Felt's identity remained unknown until 2005, when he confirmed it himself in a Vanity Fair article at age 91.
Nixon resigned on August 8, 1974, after the release of the 'smoking gun' tape — a June 23, 1972 recording proving he had ordered the CIA to obstruct the FBI's Watergate investigation just days after the break-in. With the House Judiciary Committee having approved three articles of impeachment and Republican congressional support evaporating, Nixon chose resignation to avoid near-certain impeachment and conviction.
The Saturday Night Massacre refers to the events of October 20, 1973, when Nixon ordered the firing of Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox, who had subpoenaed the White House tapes. Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy AG William Ruckelshaus both refused and resigned in protest. Solicitor General Robert Bork ultimately carried out the firing, triggering a massive public backlash and accelerating calls for impeachment.
Last updated: May 2026