Assassination Of Lincoln Essay Research Paper

Assassination Of Lincoln Essay, Research Paper What factors led to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln? Did a just outcome eventuate? Abraham Lincoln was an American President often though of as the “Prophet of Democracy”. There were many factors that led to his assassination by John Wilkes Booth. Sectionalism and slavery and the eventual downfall of the Southern States of America, left John Wilkes Booth with a burning hatred for Lincoln. This hatred for the Northern States and of Lincoln as, and his strong beliefs of the Southern States, drove Booth to assassinate Lincoln. A just outcome was achieved as John Wilkes Booth paid for his crimes, but in other cased, such as those of nine conspirators a just outcome did not eventuate. Lincoln was assassinated on April 14,

1865 at Washington’s “Ford Theatre” during a performance of “Our American Cousin”, five days after the end of the American civil war. The assassination was executed by a Shakespearean actor called John Wilkes Booth. Booth entered Lincoln’s presidential box, placed a one shot derringer behind his left ear, pulled the trigger and shouted “Sic Semper tyrannis”, which means “Thus Always to tyrants”, before exiting via the stage door. John Wilkes Booth bore a sincere affinity for the beliefs of the Southern States. Booth, in loyalty to the “Confederate States of America”, hated President Lincoln and was convinced that the democratic government would fall without Lincoln’s leadership. He conspired with nine others to perform the assassination, and, according

to his brother, considered Lincoln to be a “tyrant”. A major aspect of the evidence, providing motive for the assassination, was the sectionalism present between the Northern and Southern states of America. The sectionalism is extremely relevant to this case as it was a vital factor and pressing social force affecting the outcome of this case. Lincoln took an active interest in the controversial political issues over which the North and South consistently disagreed. Such issues include those of slavery and high tariffs on imported goods. There was a vast difference in the economies of the North and South, with the Northern economy being primarily industrial as opposed to the Southern economy which relied heavily upon the work or Negro slaves on cotton plantations. Southerners

felt threatened by Lincoln’s attitudes towards slavery and the many Northerners lobbying for the abolition of slaver. Lincoln wanted to prevent the spread of slavery, and expressed his ideals during a series of debates with Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas, from which Lincoln emerged as a clear favorite in the North. The sectionalism reached its peak in 1861 when eleven Southern states seceded from the Union to form the “Confederate States of America”. Despite Lincoln’s efforts to preserve the Union, civil war broke out. During the civil war Lincoln strengthened his views on slavery, and on September 22, 1862, earnt himself the title of “Great Emancipator” when he announced his emancipation proclamation. The proclamation which stated “…all persons held as slaves

in any State, or designated part of a state, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free…”, aroused anger in Southerners, including John Wilkes Booth. The Confederacy surrendered in April 1865, leaving John Wilkes Booth burning with a hatred for Lincoln and the desire to avenge the devastated Southern States. This became evident after Booth performed the assassination when he yelled whilst jumping from the stage “the South is avenged!” ` A factor that may have been a cause of Lincoln death according to Oscar and Lilian Handlin in the book, “Abraham Lincoln and the Union”, was that Booth was actually fired from his conspirical group and replaced with a man named James Boyd, thug motivating