1. The Plot to Assassinate Lincoln
Mr. Phipps
U.S. History
The Plot to Assassinate Lincoln

2. Background: The Shooter
John Wilkes Booth
Born May, in Bel Air, Maryland--a Southern city
Began interest in theatrics in 1855 at the Charles Street Theater in Baltimore
Booth became a common actor at the theater
In September 1858 Booth moved to Richmond, Virginia to act at the Marshall Theater
At Richmond, Booth became accustomed and sympathized to the southern politics
Booth never joined the Confederate army but did smuggle medical supplies from the North during the Civil War

3. The Victim Abraham Lincoln
Born on February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky
In 1842, he married Mary Todd a women from Lexington, Kentucky
In 1847, Lincoln was elected to the House of Representatives
In 1856, he went to the ran against Stephen A. Douglas in a losing effort to get to the U.S Senate as a Republican
In 1860, he ran for President against Stephen Douglas and won the election

4. The Beginning The Plot: Summer 1864
Booth developed plans to give the Confederates an advantage in the war
Planned to kidnap Lincoln with a group of friends
Wanted to hold Lincoln for ransom to free Confederate POWs
Co-conspirators included Samuel Arnold, Michael O’Laughlen, John Surratt, Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt and David Harold with the help of Dr. Samuel Mudd
Booth would use John Surratt’s wife Mary Surratt’s boarding house to hold his meetings about his plans

5. First Attempt
On January 18, 1865 Booth learned that Lincoln was expected to attend a play at Ford’s Theater
Booth assembled his conspirators and waited in the back of the theater
Lincoln didn’t show to the theater, forcing Booth to wait for another time

6. Second Attempt
March 17, 1865: Booth learned that Lincoln would attend a play for the Union troops at Campbell Hospital
Booth, again, assembled the group to wait on the road to kidnap Lincoln
Lincoln did not show again and the group became angry at Booth

7. Lincoln’s Second Inauguration: A change of plans
March 4, 1865: Lincoln’s Inaugural address
Booth and his conspirators were in the crowd listening
Booth became outraged when Lincoln told about his Emancipation Proclamation and decided there that he must assassinate Lincoln

8. April 14, 1865
Booth went into the Ford Theater on the morning of April 14, 1865 and learned that Lincoln would attend the play “Our American Cousin”
Booth planned that night to kill Lincoln
Booth also gave instructions to his conspirators
Atzerodt was to kill vice-president Andrew Johnson
Powell was to kill Secretary of State William Seward along with Harold

9. The End of Lincoln
At 8:30 Lincoln and his wife arrived at Ford’s Theater to watch the play
Booth arrived an hour later with a derringer and a hunting knife, after having a drink at a saloon next door
Booth entered Ford’s Theater at 10:07, ascending the backstage stairs to Lincoln’s booth
Lincoln’s bodyguard was momentarily absent
Booth moved into the room
At 10:15. Booth pointed the gun at Lincoln’s head and fired
Henry Rathbone, a friend of Lincoln’s, tried to take Booth down, but got stabbed in the arm
Booth jumped 11 feet to the stage, snapping his fibula and yelling “Sic Semper Tyrannis” or “As Always to Tyrannts”
Booth, then, escaped out the back door and fled the city

10. The Conspirators Atzerodt never made an attempt at killing Johnson
Powell stabbed Seward, but did not kill him
The conspirators met in Maryland and went to Dr. Mudd’s house to hide
From there they traveled south and stopped at Garrett’s farm in Port Royal Virginia, were federal authorities caught them
On the morning of April 16, 1865 Booth and Harold were trapped by federal troops
Harold gave up, but Booth refused to come out
Federal troops set the barn on fire, forcing Booth out
Booth, however, remained in the barn until he was shot to death

11. Lincoln Dead
Lincoln pronounced dead on April 15, 1865 at 7:22 a.m. from a GSW to the head
V.P. Andrew Johnson immediately replaced as president
The South, under Reconstruction, allowed to re-enter the Union

12. Work Citied
Booths Assassination of Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln Bio
Lincolns Assassination