The most notoriously infamous assassination in the history of America happened in April on the fourteenth day, in the year of 1865, which was also on a Good Friday. President Lincoln was shot and killed with a derringer by John Wilkes Booth. Booth came from one of the most well-known acting families in America at the time. He was an excellent actor, tall and good looking man who was very much into and apart of southern independence. He hated the black people and looked at Lincoln as dictator. Booth murdered Lincoln after many attempts to kidnap him went sour. In the beginning of his book, Swanson leaves “A Note to the Reader” message to the readers in which he states that “this is a true story” and that all the text in quotation marks are …show more content…
The author’s reason for writing this book was to vividly reflect on President Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth, and how this manhunt led The Union Cavalry and troops on a manhunt chase that lasted twelve long devastated days. Swanson believes that the murder of President Lincoln, Booth, was a raciest and a murderer who killed one of the greatest Americans who ever lived. Swanson believes that the people think of Booth as an anti-hero, a tragic young flawed actor who thought he was serving his cause but Booth shortly became America’s most …show more content…
Booth’s relationship with David Herold, and the determined revenge on Secretary of War Edwin McMasters Stanton, the bizarre part of that Dr. Samuel Mudd played in this conspiracy, are all acknowledge with an important prose in the book. Towards the end of the twelve days manhunt chase, Swanson talks in great detail hour by hour of how Booth was eventually captured in Virginia. It becomes fascinating during the final moment of Booth’s life. As Booth lay there dying, he socializes with his captors. The way Swanson addresses this moment in the book will have the reader right there on the front porch with Booth, the captors, and the soldiers. At this moment in the book, Swanson does not precisely empathize with Booth. Swanson states that “Booth is not celebrated for the murder, but he has in some ways been forgiven for
Chasing Lincolns killer by James L Swanson. This story talks about the event and death of Abraham lincoln. John Wilkes Booth, the main person that killed and shot Lincoln .He hated Lincoln, and previously tried to kidnap him.
Killing Lincoln, by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard, highlights the backstory behind one of America’s most famous assassinations: the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Within the book’s pages, O’Reilly and Dugard delve into the details involving the ending of the Civil War and the meticulous planning done by John Wilkes Booth in order to assassinate the President. What makes this novel most compelling is the incredible attention to small details that O’Reilly and Dugard make sure are included in the book. The book fully validates O’Reilly in the beginning of the book where he writes “the story you are about to read is true and truly shocking” (O’Reilly 1).
The book shows that America had a president that was willing to do whatever was needed do to get this country shaped how it should be and stand by what the founding fathers stated, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” After President Lincoln had achieved victory in the exhausting Civil War on the Friday of April 14, 1865 Washington, D.C. 3:30 P.M, President Lincoln said, "Crook," Abraham Lincoln says to his bodyguard, "I believe there are men who want to take my life. And I have no doubt that they will do it." Reword Although President Lincoln probably knew these consequences before the end of the war, he still knew that he what he had to do. President Lincoln risked his life to change the course of history and ultimately paid the price.
No matter how many news reports and newspapers people scour through, there is always a better chance than not that key information is missed because of a biased article writer. Through reading the book, Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, no side is left out, and while Swanson is a writer from the North, he manages to cover the entire story of Booth’s manhunt, including the many hidden facts as well as the motive behind Booth’s attack. Through primary sources and other documents, the text is quite informative, and therefore is a must read for anyone and everyone. It does matter if people read this book, because it reveals so much more than what most people know, about this horrific incident. Every day, manhunts and assassinations take place around the
Everyone knows the name and deeds of John Wilkes Booth, who became the first person to successfully assassinate a United States president, as well as one of the most memorable names in American history. Fewer know of Booth’s several conspirators, eight to be exact, who provided the former actor with the supplies and support necessary to commit the heinous crime. Even fewer still know the name of Mary Surratt, a Southern loyalist who, on July 7, 1865, joined Booth on the list of infamous American historical figures by becoming the first woman to be hanged in the still-juvenile country. Surratt ran a boardinghouse in Washington D.C. where the majority of the conspiratory meetings were held in 1865, leading President Johnson to declare Mary Surratt had “kept the nest that hatched the egg” (Norton, 1996). Surratt’s role as the primary supplier and facilitator of the assassination plot has led many to declare her hanging as entirely justified, while other say mercy should have been take for a variety of reasons.
I was on the stand, as close to him nearly as I am to you." This shows that Booth was already thinking about killing Lincoln. Secondly the story says, " In that crowd standing
The whole plan to kill Lincoln started with Booth and the conspirators plot to topple the government. Nearly 150 years ago President Abraham Lincoln was viewed as a martyr who ended slavery and preserved the union, he was hated as much as he was loved. A vaunted stage actor, John Wilks Booth
There are many different books that tell the story of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. One such book is Killing Lincoln, written by Bill O’Reilly. This book is not only about the assassination of President Lincoln, but it’s about the end of the Civil War too. O’Reilly’s Killing Lincoln has many strengths and weaknesses, overall, it’s a good book.
The story begins with Confederate farmer, Peyton Farquhar, staring down into the water, noose around his neck, surrounded by soldiers who are responsible for his unfortunate demise. In the moments leading up to his hanging, his reality and perception of time become distorted and, "A sound which he could neither ignore nor
Five days after the Confederacy’s surrender, John Wilkes Booth had successfully killed one of the most influential presidents in American history to do what he believed would redeem power to the southern states. Booth’s main goal was to tear down the Union’s government by taking down their leader and his successors, but the original plan did not involve the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Historian Christopher Hammer explained in his article "Booth's Reason for Assassination", the former actor had created a group of co conspirators and designed "a ploy on March 17 to capture Lincoln as he traveled in his carriage [and had] collapsed when the president changed his itinerary—and several of Booth’s conspirators ultimately left the group.” (Teaching History). Since the failed capture of the president, Booth hatred towards Lincoln grew after hearing the president’s goal to officially abolish slavery in his Second Presidential
“John” notes that Booth’s family was a renowned acting dynasty at the time of the Civil War. Booth himself was an ardent supporter of slavery with a burning hatred for Abraham Lincoln (Britannica.com). “Assassination,” suggests that Booth’s hatred of Lincoln may have been caused in part Lincoln’s undemocratic practices. The President deemed censorship of speeches and newspapers necessary during the Civil War. Additionally, the President was able to suspend any writ of habeas corpus, which prevented trials from taking place (2009).
Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth who supported the Confederacy even though they lost the American Civil war to the Union. Booth murdered Lincoln while he was watching a play at Ford’s Theatre. The murder was similar because there were apparently several co-conspiritors who helped Booth plan the assassination. Both of
History class to many falls as a just another boring lesson, memorizing facts you will never use. The year America got it’s independence, the dates of the end of World War 1 and 2- all forgotten by the time you graduate. These facts may seem useless, but behind each one, their is a story with so many valiant people, a story with people who must be forever condemned, and facts that we can always use. In the book, Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, written by James L. Swanson, there is one such story about the death of Abraham Lincoln and the manhunt that followed. What is really important about this story is that the attackers of this night always be condemned, as well as to note the amazing effort of our country coming together with tips.
James L. Swanson Chasing Lincoln’s Killer 2009 Chasing Lincoln’s Killer is a book about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, a past United States of America president. The introduction of the book is how John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln’s killer, and his accomplices, made a plan to kidnap the American president, but their plan failed. So, John Wilkes Booth and his little gang decide to kill the President, the Vice President, and the Secretary of State in one night. John Wilkes Booth would kill the president at Ford’s theater, His accomplice George Atzerodt would kill the Vice President at the Vice President’s hotel room. Lewis Powell and David Herold would kill the Secretary of State.
[He] does not notice the police car… follow him.” This one event, mixed with the stereotype the protagonist has thrown upon him by the cop, seals his fate. All three of these situations foreshadow the ironic and deadly situation that the poor lost man is about to find himself involved. It is these subtle hints to his death that not only add suspense to the plot, but also hold a key importance in conflict development. W.D. Valgardson uses many great elements of fiction to build plot and conflict, as well as teach the lesson of not making snap judgments in his short story Identities.