THE ASSASSINATION OF HONEST ABEĀ
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
APRIL 14TH
THE ASSASSINATION OF HONEST ABE
On this day in history, April 14th, 1865, 160 years ago today, a United States President was shot. He died the next day. The president was Abraham Lincoln, and he became the first United States President in the history of our nation to be assassinated.
Late in the evening of April 14th President Lincoln sat in a seat to enjoy a play at Ford’s Theatre. Little did he know that this play would be his last. John Wilkes Booth was lurking in the shadows, and he had evil intentions on his mind. At a preplanned time in the play John Wilkes shot the president in the back of the head, leapt onto the stage and yelled, “Sic semper tyrannis.” He then made his escape from the theatre. For the next 12 days John was running and hiding from the Union authorities. John Wilkes Booth died on April 26th, 1865. He died from a bullet to the neck in a burning barn that was surrounded by United States soldiers. John Wilkes Booth was 26 years old when he passed away. He thought that he would be hailed as a hero for his bold and daring murder. Instead he died like a dog; and for 160 years now his name has lived in infamy.
