U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is shot in Ford's Theatre by John Wilkes Booth; Lincoln died the next day.

Abraham Lincoln, an iconic figure in American history, served as the 16th President of the United States from 1861 until his tragic assassination in 1865. Born on February 12, 1809, and passing on April 15, 1865, his tenure was undeniably one of the most tumultuous and transformative periods in the nation’s history. Originally an American lawyer and astute statesman, Lincoln rose to lead the country through the harrowing crucible of the American Civil War. His leadership was instrumental in not only preserving the Union itself but also in achieving the monumental goal of abolishing slavery, significantly bolstering the federal government’s authority, and modernizing the burgeoning U.S. economy for a new era.

Lincoln’s origins were humble, a narrative that has since become a cornerstone of American folklore. He was born into poverty within a simple log cabin in rural Kentucky and subsequently spent his formative years on the challenging American frontier, primarily in Indiana. Without the benefit of formal schooling, he was largely self-educated, tirelessly devouring books to cultivate his intellect. This rigorous self-study laid the groundwork for his eventual career as a respected lawyer. His political journey began as a prominent leader within the Whig Party, leading to his service as an Illinois state legislator and later as a U.S. Congressman representing Illinois. However, by 1849, a period away from the political fray saw him return to his legal practice, only to become increasingly alarmed and "vexed" by the controversial opening of new territories to the possibility of slavery. This was a direct consequence of the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854, a piece of legislation that ignited fervent national debate and effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise.

The moral outrage sparked by the Kansas–Nebraska Act compelled Lincoln to re-enter politics with renewed vigor in 1854. He quickly emerged as a leading voice in the newly formed Republican Party, a political entity largely unified by its opposition to the expansion of slavery. His eloquence and powerful arguments against slavery garnered him national attention, particularly during the famous 1858 Senate campaign debates against the incumbent Stephen Douglas. Though he lost that Senate race, the debates cemented his reputation and laid the foundation for his presidential bid. In 1860, Lincoln successfully ran for President, securing victory by sweeping the Northern states. This outcome, however, was viewed by pro-slavery factions in the South as an existential threat to their way of life and institutions. Consequently, Southern states began a perilous path of secession from the Union. The newly formed Confederate States of America, in a move to secure their perceived independence, initiated hostilities by firing upon Fort Sumter, a U.S. fort located in Charleston, South Carolina. This act of aggression prompted President Lincoln to call up forces, firmly committing the nation to suppressing the rebellion and, above all, restoring the Union.

As a moderate Republican, Lincoln faced the monumental task of navigating a political landscape rife with contentious factions, confronting both allies and adversaries within the Democratic and Republican parties alike. His crucial allies, the ‘War Democrats’ and the more ardent ‘Radical Republicans’, often pressed for harsher measures against the Southern Confederates. Conversely, the ‘Anti-war Democrats’, derisively known as "Copperheads," held deep contempt for Lincoln and his policies, while irreconcilable pro-Confederate elements actively plotted his assassination. Lincoln masterfully managed these disparate groups, shrewdly exploiting their mutual animosities, carefully distributing political patronage to secure loyalty, and, crucially, consistently appealing directly to the American people through powerful rhetoric. His profound and timeless Gettysburg Address, delivered in 1863, stands as a testament to this, resonating deeply with nationalistic, republican, egalitarian, libertarian, and democratic sentiments, reminding a war-weary nation of its founding principles.

Throughout the war, Lincoln took an active and direct role in supervising the strategy and tactics of the Union war effort, including the critical selection of his generals, famously searching for commanders who would fight. He implemented a highly effective naval blockade of the South’s trade routes, crippling its economy. In a controversial but pragmatically motivated move, he suspended the writ of habeas corpus in certain areas, particularly Maryland, to quell dissent and prevent secessionist actions in a key border state. He also skillfully averted potential British intervention on behalf of the Confederacy by defusing the diplomatic crisis known as the Trent Affair. A pivotal moment in his presidency and in American history was his engineering of the end to slavery through the issuance of his Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. This landmark executive order declared enslaved people in Confederate territory to be free, further directing the Union Army and Navy to liberate, protect, and actively recruit former slaves into their ranks. Beyond this, he vigorously encouraged the crucial border states, which had remained in the Union, to voluntarily outlaw slavery within their borders, and he was a tireless proponent of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Ratified in December 1865, this amendment definitively abolished slavery across the entire nation, completing the promise of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Despite the immense pressures of wartime leadership, Lincoln successfully managed his own re-election campaign in 1864, demonstrating the enduring trust placed in him by the electorate. In his second inaugural address, he articulated a profound vision for healing the deeply war-torn nation through a spirit of magnanimous reconciliation, famously urging the country to act "with malice toward none, with charity for all." Tragically, this vision of peace and unity was cut short. On April 14, 1865, just five days after the war’s official end at Appomattox Court House, President Lincoln, accompanied by his wife Mary, was attending a performance at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., when he was fatally shot. His assassin was the Confederate sympathizer, renowned stage actor John Wilkes Booth. Abraham Lincoln is not merely remembered as a historical figure; he is revered as a martyr and an enduring hero of the United States, consistently ranked by historians and the public alike as one of, if not the greatest, president in American history, his legacy profoundly shaping the nation's identity.

The Tragic End: Lincoln's Assassination

The night of April 14, 1865, cast a long shadow over American history. Just as the nation began to exhale after four grueling years of civil war, President Abraham Lincoln, the leader who had steered the Union to victory, was tragically assassinated. The 16th President of the United States was attending a performance of the popular comedy Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., accompanied by his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. It was during this seemingly innocuous evening that a well-known stage actor and fervent Confederate sympathizer, John Wilkes Booth, carried out his deadly plot.

Booth, familiar with the theater’s layout, entered the presidential box unnoticed and, at approximately 10:15 p.m., fired a single shot into the back of Lincoln's head. The immediate aftermath was chaos and profound shock. The gravely wounded President was carried across the street to the Petersen House, a boarding house, where he lingered through the night, succumbing to his injury the following morning at 7:22 a.m. His death marked a somber and unprecedented moment in American history: he was the first U.S. president to be assassinated. The nation plunged into an extended period of profound mourning, with his funeral and subsequent burial becoming a procession of grief that touched every corner of the reuniting country, symbolized by a long funeral train that carried his body across several states for public viewing.

Lincoln's assassination was not an isolated act but part of a wider, desperate conspiracy orchestrated by Booth. His aim was to decapitate the Union government and, in doing so, somehow revive the now-faltering Confederate cause by eliminating the three most important officials of the United States government. The plan was meticulously, if poorly, coordinated: Booth himself would target President Lincoln, while his co-conspirators, Lewis Powell and David Herold, were assigned the task of killing Secretary of State William H. Seward. Another conspirator, George Atzerodt, was tasked with assassinating Vice President Andrew Johnson.

Ultimately, the larger plot largely failed beyond Lincoln’s tragic death. While Secretary Seward was indeed attacked and severely wounded by Powell, he miraculously survived. Vice President Johnson’s would-be assassin, Atzerodt, lost his nerve, becoming drunk instead of carrying out his part of the assassination. John Wilkes Booth, after his dramatic act, managed an initial escape and became the subject of an intense, twelve-day manhunt across Maryland and Virginia. The chase culminated in his being cornered in a barn and fatally shot by Union soldiers on April 26, 1865. In the aftermath, a military tribunal convicted several individuals for their roles in the conspiracy. Among them, Lewis Powell, David Herold, George Atzerodt, and Mary Surratt (the proprietor of the boarding house where the conspirators frequently met) were found guilty and subsequently hanged for their participation in this dark chapter of American history.

Frequently Asked Questions About Abraham Lincoln

Who was Abraham Lincoln?
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from 1861 to 1865. He was a lawyer and statesman who led the nation through the Civil War, preserved the Union, and abolished slavery.
What were Lincoln's greatest achievements as president?
His most significant achievements include preserving the United States as a single nation during the Civil War, issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, advocating for the Thirteenth Amendment to abolish slavery, strengthening the federal government, and laying the groundwork for a modernized U.S. economy.
How did Lincoln become involved in politics?
Born into poverty, Lincoln was largely self-educated and became a lawyer. He entered politics as a Whig Party leader, served in the Illinois state legislature and U.S. Congress. He re-entered national politics in 1854, propelled by his opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and quickly became a leader in the new Republican Party.
What was the Emancipation Proclamation?
Issued by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation declared all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory to be free. It was a strategic wartime measure that redefined the purpose of the war and paved the way for the eventual abolition of slavery nationwide through the Thirteenth Amendment.
Why was Abraham Lincoln assassinated?
Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, who believed killing the President and other key government officials would somehow aid the Confederacy and revive its cause, even though the war was already effectively over.
Who was John Wilkes Booth?
John Wilkes Booth was a famous American stage actor and a staunch Confederate sympathizer. He meticulously planned and executed the assassination of President Lincoln, later becoming the subject of a massive manhunt before being cornered and killed.
What happened to the other conspirators involved in Lincoln's assassination?
Booth's co-conspirators, Lewis Powell, David Herold, George Atzerodt, and Mary Surratt, were all arrested, tried by a military tribunal, found guilty of their roles in the conspiracy, and subsequently executed by hanging.
Where did Abraham Lincoln die?
After being shot at Ford's Theatre, President Lincoln was carried to the Petersen House, a boarding house directly across the street, where he died the following morning.