Abraham Lincoln
Search results
John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838 – April 26, 1865) was an American stage actor who assassinated United States President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865.
- Gunshot wound
- May 10, 1838, Bel Air, Maryland, U.S.
- Actor
- Booth
May 9, 2024 · John Wilkes Booth (born May 10, 1838, near Bel Air, Maryland, U.S.—died April 26, 1865, near Port Royal, Virginia) was a member of one of the United States’ most distinguished acting families of the 19th century and the assassin who killed U.S. Pres. Abraham Lincoln.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- What is John Wilkes Booth famous for?John Wilkes Booth was part of a family of celebrated actors, but he is remembered as the assassin who mortally wounded U.S. Pres. Abraham Lincoln i...
- What was John Wilkes Booth’s family like?John Wilkes Booth was part of one of the most distinguished acting families in the 19th century United States. His father, Junius Brutus Booth, an...
- What was John Wilkes Booth’s occupation?John Wilkes Booth was an actor. After an unsuccessful Baltimore, Maryland, theatrical debut in 1856, he played minor roles in Philadelphia until 18...
- What did John Wilkes Booth believe in?John Wilkes Booth was a vigorous supporter of the Southern cause. He was outspoken in his advocacy of slavery and his hatred of U.S. Pres. Abraham...
- How did John Wilkes Booth die?John Wilkes Booth fled after shooting U.S. Pres. Abraham Lincoln. During the massive manhunt he was discovered by Federal troops while hiding in th...
- Who Was John Wilkes Booth?
- Early Life
- Acting Career
- Politics and Conspiracy
- Lincoln's Assassination
- Death
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
At age 17, John Wilkes Booth made his acting debut. In the 1850s, he joined the Know-Nothing Party. During the Civil War, he was a Confederate secret agent. In March of 1865, his attempt to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln failed. On April 14, 1865, he assassinated Lincoln at Ford Theater. Booth was killed on April 26, 1865, in Port Royal, Virginia...
On May 10, 1838, John Wilkes Booth was born near Bel Air, Maryland. Booth was the second youngest of 10 children. His father, Junius Brutus Booth, was a well-known actor and was eccentric, with a reputation for heavy drinking. John and his siblings were raised on a farm, which was worked by the family's enslaved people. As a youngster, Booth attend...
When he turned 17, Booth made his acting debut in Baltimore, with a role in a production of Shakespeare's Richard III. His early performances were such a hit that Booth was soon invited to tour all over the country with a Shakespearean acting company based in Richmond, Virginia. In 1862, Booth made his New York debut, this time as the lead in Richa...
In the 1850s, Booth joined the Know-Nothing Party, which aimed to limit immigration into the United States. In 1859, he showed his support for slavery by joining a Virginia militia that aided in the capture and execution of John Brown, following his raid on Harpers Ferry. During the Civil War, Booth served as a secret agent for the Confederacy. Fac...
Frustrated at seeing his plot foiled, Booth resolved to go to a far greater extreme. On April 14, 1865, just after 10 p.m., Booth shot and killed Lincoln while he was watching a performance of the play Our American Cousinat Washington, D.C.'s Ford Theater. Directly after the shooting, Booth leaped onto the stage and yelled, "Sic semper tyrannis! (T...
After crossing the Potomac River with some difficulty, Booth and his co-conspirators arrived at Richard H. Garrett's farm in Port Royal, Virginia. Investigators were in hot pursuit and on April 26, 1865, caught up to the criminals, who had been hiding in Garrett's barn. Booth refused to surrender, which spurred his pursuers to set the barn on fire....
Learn about the life and death of John Wilkes Booth, the actor who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Find out about his acting career, his involvement in the Confederate secret service and the plot to kidnap Lincoln.
People also ask
Where did John Wilkes Booth die?
How did Conger find John Wilkes Booth?
Who killed John Wilkes Booth?
How did John Wilkes Booth woke David Herold?
Oct 27, 2009 · Learn about the life and death of John Wilkes Booth, the actor who killed President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Explore his family background, Confederate sympathies, conspiracy plans and manhunt after the assassination.
Jul 27, 2018 · Learn how John Wilkes Booth, a popular actor and Confederate sympathizer, shot and killed President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Find out how he eluded capture for 12 days with the help of a network of conspirators.
Nov 6, 2020 · Learn how the assassin of Abraham Lincoln was cornered and shot in a burning barn by Union soldiers in 1865. Find out why some people doubted his identity and claimed he escaped to other countries.
Apr 8, 2015 · How the assassin of Abraham Lincoln tried to escape from a farmhouse surrounded by Union troops and was shot dead. Read the account of the dramatic chase and the last words of Booth.
