Lincoln Assassination
Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction
Very lenient, Lincoln wanted to restore the nation as quick and
painlessly as possible.
Any State could be readmitted to the Union as soon as 10% of its voters
agreed to uphold the Constitution and ban slavery.
Lincoln’s plan aroused opposition among the Radical Republicans in Congress,
who feared the plan would simply restore power to the old planter aristocracy.
A Battle was brewing
April 14, 1865 – 5 days after the war
ended
Lincoln planned to
attend a play at
Ford’s Theater “Our
American Cousin”
John Wilkes Booth –
southern sympathizer
shot Lincoln in the back
of the head.
John Wilkes Booth broke his leg
when he leapt to the stage, but
managed to escape.
Booth along with
David Herold
avoided capture
until April 26, 1865.
Federal officers
finally killed Booth
at Garrett’s farm in
Virginia.
Lincoln is taken to the private
home of William Petersen across
the street to be made
comfortable.
Wound was fatal, nothing
could be done to save the
President.
Throughout the night Politicians, and Government officials came to pay
their respects to the dying President. Lincoln died on April 15 at 7:22 am
Mary Surrat, Lewis
Paine, David
Herold, and
George Atzerodt
were hung on July
7, 1865 .