Assassination in Ford's Theatre from "summary" of Abraham Lincoln by James M. McPherson
Ford's Theatre was the location of a shocking event that had a major impact on American history. On April 14th, 1865, a prominent figure was assassinated at the theatre, leaving the entire nation in shock and mourning.- On the evening of April 14, 1865, tragedy struck at Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C., when an assassin took advantage of a crowded and secure theatre to commit their heinous act.
- Ford's Theater closed its doors until 1969, when it reopened as a national memorial to commemorate President Lincoln and his significance in US history.
- Wilkes Booth was a well-known stage actor who had been involved with lower levels of Abraham Lincoln's opposition.
- The target of this assassination was one of the most influential figures in the United States political history: the President himself.
- On the fateful night, Booth snuck into the box where the President and his wife sat, used his Derringer pistol to shoot him, jumped onto the stage and escaped by horseback.
- The assassin was pursued until cornered 12 days later in a barn in Virginia. In the end, Booth died while federal troops attempted to apprehend him.
- After the events leading up to and following the assassination, security precautions for public figures were tightened significantly.
- Though the President received immediate care from onsite doctors after being shot in the head, he eventually died from his wounds the next morning.
- A highly publicized conspiracy trial followed, which would implicate hundreds across the US in the murder plot.
- Today we still reflect upon the legacy left behind by the tragedy, asking ourselves questions about how it could have happened and how best to protect our leaders from such acts of terror.
