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Transcript
BoothAssassinatesLincoln Foramanwhohadwitnessedahard-foughtstruggleendin victory.Lincolnwasinastrange,sombermood.Hehadoften beeninthesemoodssincehisyoungson,Willie,haddiedof illnessin1862.ThishadaffectedLincolndeeply,andonseveral occasionsin1865,hehadmentionedpremonitionsthathisown deathwouldcomesoon. JohnWilkesBoothwasthesonofafamousactor,JuniusBooth andgrewupinastagestruckfamily.JohnWilkeswentonto becomeafamousactorinhisownright;knownforhisdramatic actiononstage.Helovedplayswithsword-fighting,sinisterplots, andhighdrama.AConfederatesympathizer,hewantedtodo somethingdramatictoturnthewararound.Hisoriginalplanwas tocaptureLincolnandusehimasahostageuntilsouthern prisonersofwarwerereturned.Hebroughtseveralmenintothis AbrahamLincoln plot,butasthewardrewtoaclose,mosthadlostinterestinthe scheme. ThefallofRichmondandLee’ssurrenderatAppomattoxhitBoothhard;amoredesperatewaytohelp theSouthwouldhavetobefound.TheideacameofkillingLincoln,VicePresidentAndrewJohnson,and SecretaryofStateWilliamSeward.ThiswouldthrowtheUniongovernmentintochaos,andperhapsthe ConfederateStatesofAmericacouldreorganizeresistance.WhenBoothcheckedhismailatFord’sTheater onApril14,helearnedthatLincolnwouldbeattendingthatevening’sperformanceofOurAmerican Cousin. Boothcalledtogetherhislittlebandoffollowersandhandedouttheirassignments.George Atzerodt(acowardlyman,butaskilledboatman)wastokillJohnson,andLewisPowell(amanwhowas tall,strong,andilliterate)wastokillSeward.BoothreservedthehonorofassassinatingLincolnforhimself. Afterafewdrinksatasaloon,Boothwenttothetheaterandmadehisfinalpreparationsforhismost dramaticperformance. Mr.andMrs.LincolnhadplannedontakingUlyssesS.Grantandhiswifetotheplay,buttheGrantswere notgoingtobeintown.Instead,theytooktheirfriends,MajorHenryRathboneandhisfiancée,Clara Harris.Thepresident’sbodyguardfortheeveningwasJohnParker,wholefthisguardseatoutsidethe presidentialboxtogotoanearbytavern(heclaimedthathehadbeenreleasedbyLincolnuntiltheendof theplay). Boothenteredthetheateraftertheplayhadbegun,foundthepresident’sboxunguarded,andcameup behindLincolnwithaDerringerinonehandandaknifeintheother.Heshotthepresidentatpointblank rangeinthebackoftheheadandpreparedtoleapfromthebalconybox.Rathbonegrabbedhisarmand attemptedtosubduehim,butBoothslashedhimtothebonewithhisknife.ThenBoothjumped,butashe fell,hecaughthisspurinthebuntingdrapedfromthebox.Helandedoff-balanceonthestageandbroke hisleg;ashestaggeredacrossthestage,heyelled“Sicsempertyrannis,”(meaning“Thusalwaysto tyrants”)hobbledoutthestagedoor,androdeoffintothenight.DoctorCharlesLeale,anarmysurgeon foundPresidentLincolnunresponsive.Afterclearingthebloodclotfromhisskull,thepresidentbeganto breathemorenaturally.ThepresidentwastakenacrossthestreetfromthetheatertothePeterson BoardingHouse.WhenthesurgeongeneralreachedthehouseheconcludedthatLincolncouldnotbe savedandwoulddieduringthenight.Afterremaininginacomaforninehours,Lincolndiedat7:22a.m. onApril15,1865.Hewas56yearsold.AccordingtoLincoln’spersonalsecretaryJohnHay,atthemoment ofdeath,“alookofunspeakablepeacecameuponhiswornfeatures.” Theotherassassinsfailedintheirtasks.AfrightenedAtzerodtnevermadeanyefforttokillJohnson,and Powell’seffortstokillSewardfailed.PowelldidgainaccesstoSeward’shomeandstabbedhimseveral timesintheheadandthroat,butaheavymetalandcanvascollarthat Sewardwaswearingfromacarriageaccidentdeflectedmanyofthe blows. BoothescapedWashingtonD.C.withthehelpofafellowconspirator, DavidHerold.AftergettinghislegsetbyDr.Mudd,thetworodeoff andcrossedthePotomacRiverintoVirginia.OnApril26,1865,thetwo weresurroundedbyUnioncavalryinatobaccobarnHerold surrendered,butBoothrefusedtogiveup.Thesoldierssetthebarnon fireandoneofthemshotBoothasheattemptedtoescape.Boothdied Inagonythreehourslater.Eightothersimplicatedintheconspiracy weretriedbyamilitarytribunalinWashingtonD.C.Atzerodt,Herold, Powell,andMrs.MarySurratt(landladyoftheboardinghousewhere theplotwashatched)wherehanged. AfterLincoln’sdeath,AndrewJohnson,thevicepresident,tookthe oathofofficeandbecamethenation’sseventeenthpresident.Johnson, JohnWilkesBooth aDemocratfromTennesseewhohadcomefrompoverty,hadremained withtheUnionduringthewarandwaschosenforvicepresidenttowinsupportfromborderstatesduring the1864election. Initially,JohnsontalkedaboutfollowingahardlinetowardtheSouth,andthatappealedtotheradical RepublicansinCongress.Theirleader,ThaddeusStevensfromPennsylvania,hatedtherichslaveownersof theSouthandblamedthemforthewar.WhenJohnsonchangedcourseandbeganfollowingamore lenientpolicyintheSouth,StevensturnedagainstJohnsonandledtheradicalRepublicansinlimitinghis presidentialpower.AftertheHouseofRepresentativesvotedtoimpeachJohnsonon11charges(written byacommitteechairedbyThaddeusStevens)thetrialwenttotheSenatewherethemotiontoremove Johnsonfailedbyasinglevote.Johnsonfinishedhisterm,butCongresshadflexeditsmuscle,andputinto placethepoliciesofRadicalReconstruction. Source:ReadingandQuestionsadaptedfromGeorgeLee.DecisionsthatShapedAmerica1607-1865/MarkTwain Media,1993andGeorgeLee&RogerGaston.CivilWar– TheWarBetweentheStates/MarkTwainMedia,1994. Name_____________________________ Challenges 1. BesidesthehorrorsoftheCivilWar,whatothersituationhadputLincolninasombermoodsince1862? 2. WhatdoesitmeanwhenitsaysLincolnhadpremonitionsofhisowndeath– whatarepremonitions? 3. WhatwasBooth’soriginalplaninvolvingLincoln? 4. WheredidRobertE.LeesurrendertoUlyssesS.Grant? 5. WhatdidBoothbelievewouldhappenifhisnewplanofkillingLincolnandtheotherswassuccessful? 6. WhatwereAtzerodt’sandPowell’sspecificassignments? 7. WhowassupposetoattendtheplaywithLincolnandhiswife?Whycouldn’ttheygo? 8. WherewasLincoln’sbodyguard? 9. WhatisaDerringer?(Bespecific– youwillneedtolookthisupinadictionaryorontheinternet) 10. InwhatpartofthebodydidBoothshootLincoln? 11. WhatwasBoothinsinuatingaboutLincolnwhenheyelled“Sicsempertyranniis?”(Thusalwaystotyrants) 12. WherewasLincolnwhenhefinallydied? 13. Whywasn’tVicePresidentJohnsonkilled? 14. WhatallowedSecretaryofStateSewardtosurvivehisassassinationattempt? 15. HowlongdidthesearchforJohnWilkesBoothtakebeforehewasshotandkilledatthetobaccobarn? 16. AndrewJohnsonhadbeenaDemocratandAbrahamLincolnhadbeenaRepublican.WhywashechosentobeLincoln’s VicePresidentduringthe1864election? 17. WhatradicalRepublicanCongressmanworkedtolimitJohnson’spowerwhenhebecamepresident? 18. WhatwasthemainreasonCongress(controlledbytheRepublicans)impeachedJohnsonandattemptedtoremovehim?
