Second Semester - Unit 1 Flashcards
Who was John Wilkes Booth?
An actor, his whole family was famous, his brother Edwin was the first actor to get a statue on brodway, he was 25 when he killed Lincoln.
Why did Booth kill Lincoln?
He wanted to create a revival and respark the war.
Describe the other time Lincoln saw a JWB play
Booth said an accusatory line and pointed, in character, directly up to Lincoln who was in the same seat he would be in on the night he was murdered.
How was john described?
Athletic, black hair, stylish, handsome, ladies man
What was the original plan and whose house did the planners meet at?
To kidnap and hold Lincoln for ransom
8-12 people met at Mary surrat’s house.
What did Lincoln not participate in which made JWB mad?
Trading prisoners
Where did Lincoln go to get away from stress and why was this significant to the plan?
He went to the “old soldier’s home” and the plan was to take him from his buggy when he was making the three mile ride out there
Where was Lincoln making a speech at?
The national hotel. JWB was staying there but he happened to not be there because he was out waiting for Lincoln.
What was the new plan?
Kill Lincoln
Decapitate the government
Another man would kill the Vice President and another the Secretary of State
When did booths plan to have everyone kill their men?
At about ten o’clock during a long laugh line in the play
What did JWB do during the day to prepare for the night?
He went to the theater to get his mail and the worker let him in the auditorium because he was a famous actor. He drilled a peephole in the door. He placed a 2x4 piece of wood at the end of the hallway so he could block the door off.
Who came to the theater with the lincoln’s?
Clara Harris and Henry rathbone
What happened when Abe entered the theater?
They stopped the show and gave him a standing ovation
How did booth get past the security?
He told them that Lincoln had sent for him
What did he do once he got past the guards?
He put the 2x4 by the door to block it. He out a pistol in his right hand and a dagger in his left. He entered the box and shot Lincoln in the back of the head. Rathbone tried to come for him but he stabbed him all the way down the arm.
What happened during booth’s getaway?
He jumped over the balcony to try to get on the stage but his spur of his boot got stuck on the American flag draping the box, so he fell down and broke his leg.
What did booth yell on his way out?
Sic Semper Tyrannis- death for tyrants.
Where was Lincoln taken?
Williams Peterson’s house
What day did he die?
April 15, 1865 —-> the morning after the shooting
Who was to kill the Vice President and why did it not happen?
George Atzerodt. He got drunk in an alleyway and passed out because he lost his nerve.
Who was the Secretary of State at the time?
William Seward
Who was supposed to kill the Secretary of State and what was his plan?
Lewis Powell/Paine/Payne
He came to his door pretending to be someone dropping off medicine because the secretary was very sick and had a neck brace on. He ran into seward’s son on the way up and he got into a fight with him. He ran to thrash the secretary’s neck but he was blocked by the brace and only slashed his right cheek open
Where did JWB go?
To Maryland to the home of Samuel mudd to get healed
How long was he on the run?
12 days