The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln Essay - 913 Words

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States of America. He was elected into presidency on November 6, 1860. Many of the southern states were unsupportive of Lincoln becoming president because he had run on an anti-slavery platform. Lincoln being elected into presidency caused states such as South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas to split from the Union. In his inaugural address Lincoln proclaimed it was his duty to maintain the Union; a month later the Civil War began. Although Lincoln did many great things for our country, his vital role in the Civil War is what most likely lead to his assassination. Many people believe that the main reason for the Civil War was to end slavery.†¦show more content†¦However, the Emancipation Proclamation did not free all slaves in the United States. It declared that only slaves living in states not under Union control be free. This officially changed the purpose of the Civil War. The Nort h was no longer only fighting to preserve the Union but also to end slavery. The Civil War continued for the next four years, ending on April 9, 1865. Legal freedom for all slaves did not come until the final passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in December of 1865. President Lincoln was a strong supporter of the Thirteenth Amendment; however, he was assassinated before its final presentation. It was on April 14, 1865 that Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Lincoln went to see a play with his wife at Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C. During the play a man by the name of John Wilkes Booth snuck in and up the steps that lead to the balcony where Lincoln was sitting. He waited until there was a part in the play for the crowd to make noise and it was then that he shot President Lincoln in the back of his head. It is said that after shooting Lincoln in the back of the head, Booth jumped onto the stage from the balcony where Lincoln was sitting and shouted, â€Å"Sic semper tyrannis ! (Ever thus to tyrants!) The South is avenged† and fled on horseback (history.com). Lincoln died the next morning. John Wilkes Booth was born in Maryland and remained in the North during the Civil War. However, he sympathized for the Southern Confederate states.Show MoreRelatedThe Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln861 Words   |  4 PagesAppomattox Courthouse, one of America s greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln, was shot and killed by a man named John Wilkes Booth. Specifically, John Wilkes Booth was an American play actor and a big sympathiser for the Confederacy. Booth was well known for his hatred towards the President and his crazy ideas and motives, which lead to the killing of Lincoln. Many conspiracies and theories today believed the assassination of Abraham Lincoln was handled by John Wilkes alone, but other conspiracies believedRead MoreThe Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln1064 Words   |  5 PagesColin Shafer Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination President Abraham Lincoln was the first United States president ever to be assassinated while in office. He was president during the Civil War and had many people that did not like him. John Wilkes Booth did not like Abraham Lincoln and was responsible for the President’s death. Abraham Lincoln was born in Harden County, Kentucky on February 12, 1809. His parents were Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. In 1818, his mother died while he was just nine yearsRead MoreThe Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln1535 Words   |  7 PagesMichael Cardenas Ritmann History 2B October 16, 2015 The Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln On April 14, 1865 at twelve o’ clock midnight John Wilkes Booth lay in his bed at the National Hotel. Three days earlier he had attended a speech given by President Abraham Lincoln at the White House. The civil war had commenced just two days earlier and the crowd was jubilant. When Lincoln concluded his speech with the the acknowledgment of black suffrage, Booth became incensed and declared that â€Å"Now byRead MoreThe Assassination of Abraham Lincoln511 Words   |  2 PagesThe Assassination of Abraham Lincoln The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln occurred on April 15, 1865, Washington, D.C. Lincoln was watching the play â€Å"Our American Cousin† at Ford’s Theatre located in Washington D.C. John Wilkes Booth entered the theatre during the play and shot and killed President Lincoln. This tragic event changed history. President Lincoln was the President of the United States during the time of slavery. He was also the president during the Civil War. Lincoln wantedRead MoreThe Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln Essay1317 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Sic Semper tyrannis† or â€Å"Thus always I bring death to tyrants† were the famous words of Confederate actor John Wilkes Booth after he shot President Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre. The assassination of Abraham Lincoln was a tragic event that will be forever remembered in the hearts of all American citizens. On April 20, 1999 in Littleton, Colorado, Booth’s words would make a comeback during another Am erican tragedy; Columbine high school was the setting for arguably one of the most notorious school shootingsRead MoreThe Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln Essay1342 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Sic Semper Tyrannis† or â€Å"Thus always I bring death to tyrants† were the famous words of Confederate actor John Wilkes Booth after he shot President Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre. The assassination of Abraham Lincoln was a devastating event that will be forever remembered in the hearts of all American citizens. On April 20, 1999 in Littleton, Colorado, Booth’s words became a part of another American tragedy; Columbine high school was the setting for arguably one of the most infamous school shootingsRead MoreThe Assassination Of President Abraham Lincoln Essay983 Words   |  4 PagesOne of the most tragic moments throughout all American history in my opinion is the Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. With no surprise I am writing about certain event that oc curred leading up to, during, and after this unfortunate event. This historical event is clouded with conspiracy but I will try to avoid specifics of that particular view. Abraham Lincoln was born in a little town located within Hardin Country, Kentucky on February 12, 1809 (www.whitehouse.gov/abrahamlincoln). HeRead MoreThe Assassination of Abraham Lincoln Essay1646 Words   |  7 Pagesorphaned child-to do all which may be achieved and cherished a just and a lasting peace among ourselves, and with all other nations†-Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address (Great Documents of America 19). Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the United States and perhaps one of the most hated presidents that ever served, this hatred for president Lincoln came from his options and actions regarding the nation’s conflict at the time; the Civil War, this came after the succession of fourteenRead MoreThe Assassination Of Abraham Lincoln1456 Words   |  6 Pagesbe the same today if Abraham Lincoln was never assassinated on the unfortunate night of April 14, 1865. His killer, John Wilkes Booth, had a strong resent for the Union that subsequently caused a dramatic shift in history. This hatred was caused by many factors, such as his background and where he grew up, his lust for power and fame, and his mental illness. John Wilkes Booth, a master assassinator and conspirator, hoped to strengthen the confederacy by killing Abraham Lincoln. However, this murderRead MoreAbraham Lincoln s Assassination Of President1176 Words   |  5 PagesAbraham Lincoln’s Assassination President Abraham Lincoln was the first United States president ever to be assassinated while in office. He was president during the Civil War and had many people that did not like him. John Wilkes Booth was one of those people and was the man responsible for the Presidents death. The following is about Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, Booth’s plan for Lincoln, the President’s assassination, Booth’s capture and how it affected history. Abraham Lincoln was born