Why Did John Wilkes Booth kill President Lincoln

John Wilkes Booth – Why Did He Kill Lincoln?
1. Who Was John Wilkes Booth?
• He was a famous actor.
• He loved the South and hated the North.
• He supported slavery and blamed Lincoln for the South losing the Civil War.
2. What Was Booth’s Plan?
• Kill President Lincoln – (He did it.)
• Kill the Vice President – (Failed.)
• Kill the Secretary of State – (Failed.)
• Booth hoped these murders would help the South fight again, but it didn’t work.
3. How Did Booth Escape?
• Booth shot Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre.
• He jumped off the balcony, broke his leg, and ran away on a horse.
• He hid for 12 days with his friend.
• Soldiers found him hiding in a barn.
4. Why Did Soldiers Kill Booth Fast?
• Soldiers told Booth to surrender, but he said “No!”
• Soldiers burned the barn to make him come out.
• One soldier shot Booth in the neck.
• Booth died a few hours later.
5. Who Helped Booth?

• David Herold
• Helped Booth escape and hide.
• Soldiers caught him—hanged.
• Lewis Powell (Payne)
• Attacked the Secretary of State.
• The man lived—hanged.
• George Atzerodt
• Planned to kill the Vice President but was too scared—hanged.
• Mary Surratt
• Let Booth and friends plan at her house.
• First woman hanged by the U.S. government.