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Lesson Overview
Featured Article: “Trump Impeached for Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress” by Nicholas Fandos and Michael D. Shear.
President Trump became the third president in the history of the United States to be impeached.
In this lesson, students will learn more about the historic vote in the House of Representatives, explore the various arguments for and against the impeachment of Mr. Trump presented by Democrats and Republicans, and consider what the vote will mean for our nation. In a Going Further activity, students will explore their feelings and reactions to the impeachment — and speculate on what will happen in the upcoming Senate trial.
Warm Up
On Wednesday night, the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, making him just the third president in American history to be charged with “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
How much have you read, seen or heard about the House impeachment vote? Have you talked about it at school, or with your friends or family? If so, what are the people you know saying?
The New York Times reporters Nicholas Fandos and Michael D. Shear summarize the historic vote:
The House of Representatives on Wednesday impeached President Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, making him the third president in history to be charged with committing high crimes and misdemeanors and face removal by the Senate.
On a day of constitutional consequence and raging partisan tension, the votes on the two articles of impeachment fell largely along party lines, after a bitter debate that stretched into the evening and reflected the deep polarization gripping American politics in the Trump era.
Only two Democrats opposed the article on abuse of power, which accused Mr. Trump of corruptly using the levers of government to solicit election assistance from Ukraine in the form of investigations to discredit his Democratic political rivals. Republicans were united in opposition. It passed 230 to 197, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi gaveling the vote to a close from the House rostrum.
On the second charge, obstruction of Congress, a third Democrat joined Republicans in opposition. The vote was 229 to 198.
Next, watch the three-minute video below with highlights from the day. After watching, respond to these three questions:
What is one argument Democrats used in favor of the articles of impeachment?
What is one argument Republicans used against the articles of impeachment?
What is one question you have about the House impeachment vote?
(For more background information, you can read the two articles of impeachment here and how the Constitution defines impeachable here. For more on the impeachment process, you can read this article or watch this video. You can also find key testimony from the House impeachment inquiry here. )
Questions for Writing and Discussion
Read the article, then answer the following questions:
1. How did the House impeachment vote reflect the “deep polarization gripping American politics in the Trump era,” according to the article?
2. What does the article of impeachment on abuse of power accuse the president of doing? How are President Trump’s actions toward Ukraine at the center of the “existential threat to Mr. Trump’s presidency,” according to the authors?
3. What does the second article of impeachment — obstruction of justice — accuse the president of doing?
4. During the day of debate on the House floor, many arguments were put forth on whether to support the articles of impeachment. Give at least two for each side.
5. How did President Trump react to the impeachment vote? What does the president mean by his statement that the Democrats have “cheapened the impeachment process”?
6. The authors state that “regardless of the outcome of a Senate trial, the impeachment vote in the House puts an indelible stain on Mr. Trump’s presidency.” What evidence does the article provide to support this claim?
7. What other United States presidents have been impeached? How is the Trump impeachment similar to or different from past examples?
8. What happens next? Why does Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and Senate majority leader, want a swift Senate trial in January, according to the article?
Going Further
What is your reaction to the impeachment of President Trump? How do you think it will affect him, his presidency and this nation? What do you think it means for you, your family and your community?
Do you agree with Republicans like Representative Chris Stewart, who said: “This day is about one thing and one thing only. They hate this president”? Or, do you agree with Democrats like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who said, “It is tragic that the president’s reckless actions make impeachment necessary. He gave us no choice”?
If you were a member of the House of Representatives, how would you have voted on the two articles of impeachment? What arguments would you have considered to make your decision? Use evidence to explain your reasoning.
How much attention did you pay to the impeachment inquiry and the House vote? Have you talked about it at school, or with friends and family? If so, what are the people you know saying?
(For more on the Senate trial, you can read “What’s Next for Trump? A Senate Impeachment Trial, Probably.”)
