Who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln?

The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln was carried out by John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer. Booth’s motivations were rooted in his strong opposition to Lincoln's policies and the Union victory in the Civil War. He saw himself as a hero for the Southern cause, believing that by killing Lincoln, he could revive the Confederacy and change the course of history.

On the night of April 14, 1865, Booth entered Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., where Lincoln was attending a play, and fired a single shot at the president from behind. It was a carefully planned murder, as Booth believed it would strike a blow against the Union government. His act had significant historical repercussions, marking a pivotal moment in American history and leading to a dramatic shift in the national leadership and societal attitudes following Lincoln's death.