Oklahoma Social Studies USH.C.8.4.D

Social StudiesGrades 9–12Content Standards

The Standard

USH.C.8: Analyze the rationale and impact of foreign and domestic policies of the late 20th century.
USH.C.8.4: Evaluate the major domestic and foreign policies of the William J. Clinton administration.

Summarize the political impact of President Clinton’s impeachment on the perceptions of the presidency and powers of Congress.

Oklahoma Academic Standards for Social Studies (2026) · USH.C.8.4

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students trace what the House and Senate did during Clinton’s impeachment and why he stayed in office. They explain how the proceedings shaped views of the presidency and Congress’s power to hold a president accountable.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student explains that the House impeached Clinton and the Senate acquitted him. They use a 1998 approval poll and opposing editorials to describe why people disagreed about Clinton’s conduct and Congress’s actions.
Common Misconceptions: Some students think impeachment automatically removes a president or that the Senate votes to impeach. Others assume the public opposed Clinton because the House impeached him, even though his approval remained high.
How to Assess It: Give students a December 1998 Clinton approval poll and the House and Senate vote results. Ask why Clinton stayed in office and what the contrast suggests about public opinion.

Lesson moves

Have pairs sort cards labeled House impeachment vote, Senate trial, and Senate acquittal into a timeline, then label each chamber’s job.
Show a 1998 approval poll and two opposing editorials; ask, “Why might voters approve of Clinton while disagreeing about impeachment?”
Play a correction game with claim cards such as “Impeachment removes the president”; teams rewrite each false claim accurately.
Pair a 1998 impeachment headline with a 2019 headline, then underline what each says about presidential accountability and Congress’s power.

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