Assassination of Lincoln

A detailed Summary of Assassination of Lincoln

What factors led to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln? Did a just outcome eventuate?

Abraham Lincoln was an American President often though of as the "Prophet of Democracy". There were many factors that led to his assassination by John Wilkes Booth. Sectionalism and slavery and the eventual downfall of the Southern States of America, left John Wilkes Booth with a burning hatred for Lincoln. This hatred for the Northern States and of Lincoln as, and his strong beliefs of the Southern States, drove Booth to assassinate Lincoln. A just outcome was achieved as John Wilkes Booth paid for his crimes, but in other cased, such as those of nine conspirators a just outcome did not eventuate.

Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865 at Washington's "Ford Theatre" during a performance of "Our American Cousin", five days after the end of the American civil war. The assassination was executed by a Shakespearean actor called John Wilkes Booth. Booth entered Lincoln's presidential box, placed a one shot derringer behind his left ear, pulled the trigger and shouted "Sic Semper tyrannis", which means "Thus Always to tyrants", before exiting via the stage door.

John Wilkes Booth bore a sincere affinity for the beliefs of the Southern St

The evidence against Mary Surratt was very weak and unreliable as it was given by a man who was drunk at the time. Even at the time of her execution, Mary's involvement in the conspiracy was uncertain. For this reason, her execution is unjustified.

This evidence clearly shows that John Wilkes Booth was in fact the assassin and justice was achieve in the fact that they tried to apprehend the right person and his conspirators.

In certain aspects of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln justice was done, in that Booth definitely received just punishment for his monstrous crime. The barn in which he and fellow conspirator Harold were hiding was surrounded by soldiers and upon Booth's refusal to surrender, was set alight. A gunshot was heard and John Wilkes Booth died. His last words, according to David Lee, were, "Tell mother I die for my country." Historians are unsure as to whether the fatal shot came from Sergeant Boston Corbett or whether Booth in fact committed suicide. A suicide would be plausible in that Booth may not have wanted to face the definite failure of a trial, or the men orchestrating the conspiracy. Booth may have been killed if they though that he had revealed any of the Conspiracy's secrets to the Union, such as their previous attempts to kidnap Lincoln.

A major aspect of the evidence, providing motive for the assassination, was the sectionalism present between the Northern and Southern states of America. The sectionalism is extremely relevant to this case as it was a vital factor and pressing social force affecting the outcome of this case. Lincoln took an active interest in the controversial political issues over which the North and South consistently disagreed. Such issues include those of slavery and high tariffs on imported goods. There was a vast difference in the economies of the North and South, with the Northern economy being primarily industrial as opposed to the Southern economy which

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Approximate Word count = 1303
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History