Assassination of Abraham Lincoln facts for kids
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln was a very sad event that happened near the end of the American Civil War. It took place on Good Friday, April 14, 1865. President Lincoln was watching a play called Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. when he was shot. He passed away early the next morning.
Lincoln's killer was John Wilkes Booth. He was a famous actor and supported the Confederate side in the war. Booth had planned with others to also kill the Secretary of State, William H. Seward, and the Vice President Andrew Johnson. His goal was to cause chaos and weaken the Northern government. Booth succeeded in killing Lincoln, but Seward and Johnson survived their attacks. Abraham Lincoln was the first American president to be assassinated.
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What Happened?
On April 14, 1865, President Lincoln and his wife went to see a play. They were at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C..
The Attack at Ford's Theatre
During the play's third act, Lincoln was laughing at a funny line. At that moment, John Wilkes Booth entered the presidential box. Booth was a well-known actor and a Confederate spy. He fired a pistol at close range into the back of Lincoln's head. This wound was very serious.
Lincoln immediately lost consciousness. He was carried across the street to Petersen House. He was placed on a bed there, lying diagonally because he was so tall. Lincoln remained unconscious for many hours. He died the next morning. People who were there said his face looked peaceful when he passed away.
Booth's Escape and Capture
After shooting Lincoln, Booth quickly escaped. He was on the run for 12 days. Union troops finally tracked him down on a farm in Virginia. This farm was about 70 miles (110 km) south of Washington.
Booth refused to surrender to the soldiers. On April 26, Sergeant Boston Corbett killed Booth.
Images for kids
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The last known high-quality image of Lincoln, taken on the balcony at the White House, March 6, 1865
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The Surratt house
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Advertisement for Our American Cousin (Washington Evening Star, April 14, 1865)
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Ford's Theatre
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Lincoln's box
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Booth's dagger
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Surgeon Charles Leale
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Lincoln's deathbed
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The Last Hours of Abraham Lincoln (Alonzo Chappel, 1868)
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An artist's depiction of Lewis Powell attacking William Seward's son, Frederick W. Seward
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William and Fanny Seward in 1861
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Lincoln's funeral train
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"The Apotheosis of Lincoln": Lincoln ascending to heaven, where George Washington embraces him and crowns him with laurels. (Unknown artist)
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Reward broadside with photographs of John H. Surratt, John Wilkes Booth, and David E. Herold
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The Garrett farmhouse, where Booth died April 26
See also
In Spanish: Asesinato de Abraham Lincoln para niños
