American Civil War History:

On April 14, 1865, actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth shot President Abraham Lincoln in the back of the head at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.. Lincoln, watching the play Our American Cousin, was mortally wounded and died the next morning, causing national shock just days after the Civil War's end.

Key Details of the Assassination:

The Act: During the final act of the comedy, Booth, familiar with the play, entered the presidential box and shot Lincoln with a .44-caliber derringer.

The Escape: After stabbing Rathbone, a guest in the box, Booth leaped to the stage, breaking his leg, and shouted, "Sic semper tyrannis! The South is avenged!".

Immediate Aftermath: Lincoln was carried to the Peterson House across the street, where he died on April 15, 1865, at 7:22 a.m..

Conspirator Motive: Booth, a supporter of the Confederacy, aimed to avenge the South's defeat and initially planned to kidnap Lincoln before shifting to assassination.

Booth was a noted actor, while his father, Junius Brutus Booth, was a famous Shakespearean performer.

John Wilkes Booth was the mastermind behind a plot to simultaneously assassinate Abraham Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William H. Seward. Conspirators Lewis Powell and David Herold were assigned to kill William H. Seward, and George Atzerodt was tasked with killing Andrew Johnson. Beyond Lincoln's death the plot failed: Seward was only wounded and Johnson's would-be attacker lost his nerve. After a dramatic initial escape, Booth was killed at the climax of a 12-day manhunt. Powell, Herold, Atzerodt and Mary Surratt were later hanged for their roles in the conspiracy. Of the eight other people eventually charged with the conspiracy, four were hanged and four were jailed.