Lincoln Assassination

Chris Poturalski

Before the Assassination

Happened 5 days after the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House

He was first American President to be assassinated

Andrew Jackson was an unsuccessful attempt

Multiple attempts to kill or kidnap the president before April 14.

Assassination

On, April 14, 1865, Lincoln was attending a play at Ford’s Theatre to watch Our American Cousin.

John Wilkes Booth snuck in the room and shot Lincoln in the back of the head.

After he shot Lincoln, he escaped by jumping down onto the stage.

He broke one of his leg and shouted Sic semper Tyrannus

Background of Booth

An actor

Strongly opposed abolition of slavery

Member of the Knights of the Golden Circle

Formed conspiracy with multiple other perpetrators

Hoped the assassination would revive the government

Booth’s earlier opportunities

Original plan was to kidnap President to keep for ransom in 1864.

March 4th 1865 – Lincoln’s second inaugural speech.

“a splendid chance… to kill the president where he stood.”

March 17th 1865 – plan to kidnap the president

Lincoln-Booth relationship

LincolnAdmired the works of Booth

Went to multiple plays

Invited him to the White House

Wrote letters to Booth

BoothHated the President

“I would rather have applause from a Negro than that of the president.”

Declined invitation to White House

Lincoln’s Dreams

During the last 2 weeks before his death he had dreams about his own death.

“Who is dead in the White House?”“The president. He was killed by an assassin.”

He supposedly been having the same dream for three days before his assassination

April 14, 1965

Booth met with Lewis Powell and George Atzerodt about the assassination plot

Powell was assigned to kill Secretary of State William H. Seward

Atzerodt was assigned to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson

Planned a 10:15 assassination attempt

Outcome

BoothShot Lincoln in the back of the head with a single-shot Deringer

Stabbed General Grant

PowellStabbed Seward in the head multiple times before escaping, which it did not kill Seward

AtzerodtFailed to attempt to assassinate Johnson

Hunt for Booth

Lasted for 11 days (April 15-26)

Biggest manhunt in the nation$100,000 reward for Booth

Fled to Eastern Virginia

Hid at Surratt Tavern, Dr. Mudd, Samuel Cox, and Garrett’s Farm

Was found and killed at Garrett’s Farm

Trial

May 1, Johnson suggests military trial

Lasted 7 weeks

Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, David Herold, and George Atzerodt were sentenced to death by hanging

Mudd, Arnold, and Spangler were pardoned by Johnson

After

April 19th his funeralBody transported by train 1,700 miles for millions of people to watch

Andrew Johnson became President

Ford’s Theatre was turned into a museum rather than continuation of plays after it was shut down

Some other Conspiracy’s

Lincoln died with a conspiracy organized by Booth

Andrew Johnson was with Booth

Result of confederate plot

Catholic church was behind assassination

Edwin Stanton was behind assassination

Sources

http://historyrat.wordpress.com/2010/02/06/conspiracy-theory-the-lincoln-assassination/

http://www.crimelibrary.com/terrorists_spies/assassins/booth/7.html

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/lincolnconspiracy/lincolnchronology.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/assassination/

http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/19423