Explaining the impeachment of the president and its possible consequences to your kids can be difficult. We've put together this timeline comparing the impeachment proceedings of Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton to make it a little easier for you to talk to your kids about what is going on in Washington.

ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT

President Andrew Johnson

• February, 1868: House approves 11 articles of impeachment.

President Richard Nixon

• July, 1974: House Judiciary Committee approves three articles of impeachment.
• Aug. 5, 1974: Release of tape recordings of White House conversations proves Nixon's early involvement in cover-up of 1972 break-in at Democratic Party offices in the Watergate complex in Washington. Republican support for Nixon erodes in Congress.
• Aug. 9, 1974: Nixon resigns. Vice President Gerald Ford becomes president.

President Bill Clinton

• December, 1998: House Judiciary Committee concludes hearings into articles of impeachment.
• December 18, 1998: House of Representatives votes to impeach President Clinton on two articles, charging him with lying under oath to a federal grand jury and obstructing justice.

TRIAL IN SENATE

President Andrew Johnson

• May, 1868: Senate votes 35-19 in favor of conviction on each article of impeachment, one fewer than needed, and Johnson remains in office.

President Richard Nixon

• Nixon resigned before impeachment proceedings.

President Bill Clinton

• January 7, 1999: Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who presided over the impeachment trial, was officially sworn in along with the 100 senators who acted as jurors.

• February 12, 1999: President Clinton is acquitted of two impeachment charges.