President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth during a performance at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. The shooting occurred at 10:15 PM, and Lincoln died the following morning at 7:22 AM at the Petersen House.

The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, marked one of the most tragic moments in American history. Just five days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, Lincoln's life was cut short at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.

On that fateful Good Friday evening, John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer, entered the President's box during a performance of "Our American Cousin." At approximately 10:15 p.m., he fired a single shot from a derringer pistol into the back of Lincoln's head. The President passed away the following morning at 7:22 a.m. in the Petersen House across the street from the theater, becoming the first U.S. President to be assassinated.

President Abraham Lincoln attended a performance of "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on the evening of April 14, 1865, accompanied by his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, Major Henry Rathbone, and Clara Harris.

John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln at 10:15 p.m. on Good Friday, April 14, 1865. The assassin fired a single .44-caliber derringer pistol at point-blank range into the back of Lincoln's head while the president sat in his private box above the stage. Lincoln remained unconscious for 9 hours before dying at 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865, at the Petersen House across the street from the theatre.

Booth entered Ford's Theatre at 9:30 p.m., timing his arrival during Act III, Scene 2 of the play. The assassin:

• Showed his calling card to gain access to the theatre's outer hallway
• Waited for the precise moment when actor Harry Hawk delivered a laugh line
• Moved quietly into the Presidential Box through unguarded doors
• Wedged a wooden stick between the door and wall to prevent interference
• Positioned himself behind Lincoln's chair in the darkness

Time	Action
8:30 PM	Lincoln's party arrives at Ford's Theatre
9:30 PM	Booth enters the theatre
10:13 PM	Booth enters the Presidential Box
10:15 PM	Shot fired at President Lincoln
10:20 PM	Doctors arrive to attend to Lincoln

John Wilkes Booth developed an intricate assassination plot against President Lincoln as part of a broader conspiracy to destabilize the Union government. His extensive knowledge of Ford's Theatre and connections to its staff enabled him to execute his plan with precision.

The assassination plot originated as part of a larger Confederate scheme involving multiple targets in the Union leadership. Booth recruited Lewis Powell to attack Secretary of State William Seward, George Atzerodt to target Vice President Andrew Johnson, and David Herold to assist in their escape. Their initial plan involved kidnapping Lincoln in exchange for Confederate prisoners of war, but after Lee's surrender on April 9, 1865, Booth altered the strategy to assassination. The conspirators met regularly at Booth's room at the National Hotel and Mary Surratt's boarding house to coordinate their roles.

Booth's position as a celebrated actor granted him unrestricted access to Ford's Theatre. He performed there multiple times between 1863-1865 and maintained close relationships with the theatre staff including:

• John Ford, the owner who provided Booth with insider knowledge of the building's layout
• Edman Spangler, the stagehand who prepared Booth's horse for escape
• The doorkeeper who allowed Booth entry without question on April 14
• The carpenter who modified the door to the Presidential Box per Booth's suggestions

The theatre's architecture played a crucial role in the plot:

Location	Strategic Advantage
Presidential Box	Isolated from main seating
Rear Door	Direct access to alley
Stage to Street	15-foot drop for escape
Box Door	Modified with wooden bar

Booth's familiarity with the theatre's schedule allowed him to time the assassination during a laugh line in "Our American Cousin," masking the sound of his derringer.

President Lincoln's final hours began immediately after John Wilkes Booth's fatal shot at Ford's Theatre, spanning from 10:15 p.m. on April 14 to 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865.

Dr. Charles Leale, a 23-year-old army surgeon, reached Lincoln within minutes of the shooting. He found the President paralyzed, breathing intermittently with a weak pulse. The medical team, which included Dr. Charles Taft and Dr. Albert King, determined the bullet had entered Lincoln's skull behind his left ear, lodging near the front of his brain. They performed emergency procedures:

• Removed blood clots from the wound
• Applied mustard plasters to his feet
• Administered brandy and water to prevent dehydration
• Placed heated blankets to maintain body temperature
• Applied artificial respiration when breathing slowed

William Peterson's boarding house, located at 453 Tenth Street, served as Lincoln's final resting place. The medical team transported Lincoln to a first-floor bedroom, placing him diagonally across a bed too short for his 6'4" frame. Key events at Peterson House included:

• Secretary of War Edwin Stanton conducted his investigation from an adjacent room
• Mary Todd Lincoln visited periodically between fits of hysteria
• Robert Lincoln arrived to stay by his father's bedside
• Military guards secured the house perimeter
• Surgeon General Joseph Barnes documented Lincoln's declining vital signs

At 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865, Dr. Robert King Stone, Lincoln's personal physician, officially pronounced the President dead.

Time	Event
10:15 PM	Shot fired at Ford's Theatre
10:20 PM	First medical response by Dr. Leale
10:45 PM	Transported to Peterson House
7:22 AM	Death pronounced

Lincoln's assassination created profound changes in American society, politics, and culture during the post-Civil War era. The tragic event reshaped the course of Reconstruction and influenced national policies for decades to come.

Lincoln's death triggered an unprecedented period of national mourning that united Americans across regional divides. The funeral train's 1,700-mile journey from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Illinois, stopped in 180 cities, allowing 7 million Americans to pay their respects. Major cities hosted elaborate ceremonies:

• New York displayed Lincoln's body at City Hall, drawing 500,000 mourners

• Philadelphia's Independence Hall viewing attracted 300,000 visitors

• Chicago's courthouse ceremony gathered 125,000 citizens

• Springfield's final ceremony on May 4, 1865, drew 75,000 people

• Johnson's lenient approach toward former Confederate states contradicted Lincoln's planned policies

• The Radical Republicans gained increased influence in Congress

• Congress passed 4 significant Reconstruction Acts between 1867-1868

• Constitutional amendments faced different implementation:

• 13th Amendment ratification accelerated

• 14th Amendment faced stronger Southern resistance

• 15th Amendment emerged from increased congressional control

Political Impact	Under Lincoln's Plan	Under Johnson's Implementation
Confederate Pardons	Limited, case-by-case	13,500 issued in first 8 months
Land Distribution	400,000 acres to freed slaves	Returned to former owners
State Readmission	Strict requirements	Minimal conditions
Military Presence	Strong federal oversight	Reduced Union occupation

The manhunt for John Wilkes Booth lasted 12 days across Maryland and Virginia. Federal troops pursued Booth and his accomplice David Herold through multiple counties while maintaining a perimeter around Washington D.C.

After shooting Lincoln, Booth leaped from the President's box onto the stage, breaking his leg upon landing. He escaped on horseback to southern Maryland, meeting up with David Herold at predetermined locations. The pair crossed the Potomac River into Virginia on April 21, finding refuge at Richard Garrett's farm near Port Royal. On April 26, 1865, Union soldiers surrounded the barn where Booth was hiding. Sergeant Boston Corbett shot Booth through a gap in the barn's wall, striking him in the neck. Booth died three hours later on the farm's porch.

Military investigators arrested eight conspirators involved in the assassination plot:

• Mary Surratt
• Lewis Powell
• David Herold
• George Atzerodt
• Samuel Arnold
• Michael O'Laughlen
• Edman Spangler
• Dr. Samuel Mudd

A military tribunal conducted their trial from May 9 to June 30, 1865. The proceedings resulted in:

Conspirator	Verdict	Sentence	Date of Execution
Mary Surratt	Guilty	Death	July 7, 1865
Lewis Powell	Guilty	Death	July 7, 1865
David Herold	Guilty	Death	July 7, 1865
George Atzerodt	Guilty	Death	July 7, 1865
Samuel Arnold	Guilty	Life imprisonment	-
Michael O'Laughlen	Guilty	Life imprisonment	-
Edman Spangler	Guilty	6 years imprisonment	-
Dr. Samuel Mudd	Guilty	Life imprisonment	-

The executions took place at the Old Arsenal Penitentiary in Washington D.C., marking the first time the U.S. government executed a woman.

• President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., and died the following morning at 7:22 a.m.
• John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer, shot Lincoln with a .44-caliber derringer pistol during a performance of "Our American Cousin"
• The assassination occurred just five days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, marking a pivotal moment in American history
• The manhunt for Booth lasted 12 days and ended with his death at Garrett's farm in Virginia on April 26, 1865
• Eight conspirators were tried by a military tribunal, resulting in four executions (including Mary Surratt, the first woman executed by the U.S. government) and four prison sentences

President Lincoln's assassination stands as one of the most pivotal moments in American history. The tragic events of April 14 1865 not only ended the life of a remarkable leader but also dramatically altered the course of Reconstruction and the nation's healing process after the Civil War.

The aftermath of Lincoln's death reshaped American society in profound ways that still resonate today. From the unprecedented national mourning to the significant shifts in Reconstruction policies under President Johnson the assassination's impact extended far beyond that fateful night at Ford's Theatre.

His death marked both an end and a beginning - the end of his vision for reuniting the nation and the beginning of a new challenging chapter in American history.