Preview

How Did Lincoln's Assassination Change History

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
472 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Did Lincoln's Assassination Change History
On April 14 1865, Abraham Lincoln went to Laura Keene's light comedy, "Our American Cousin", at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., but then a man called John Wilkes Booth shot him in the head because he wanted to avenge for the South. If I could change history, I would change the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. If he wasn't assassinated, he could have help the economic integration, western development, and cleaning the Confederate slate

Abraham Lincoln could have help even more with the economic integration. It was after the war when the slaves won their freedom back. He believed that "every man to have the chance — and I believe a black man is entitled to it ‑‑ in which he can better his condition" according to www.washingtonpost.com.
…show more content…
He thought that the West will be an integral part of Reconstruction. He even signed homestead legislation that opened huge tracts of public land to private ownership. Also, he pledged government support to a transcontinental railroad that would carry the harvests of those homesteads to world markets. On the day he got assassinated, he even promised Speaker of the House Schuyler Colfax that he planned to point Union veterans “to the gold and silver that waits for them in the West.”, according to www.washingtonpost.com. But he die before he could make it happened for real.

He could have help with the cleaning the Confederate slate. In his second inaugural address, he spoke of his hope of malice toward none and charity for all after the war. He wasn't exaggerating. He said, “Frighten them out of the country,...open the gates, let down the bars … scare them off" according to www.washingtonpost.com. It meant that it would clear the way for a new leadership in the South. Which would establish a “practical system by which the two races could gradually live themselves out of their old relation.” Lincoln could scarcely have guaranteed the operation of his “practical system” without an ongoing military presence in the South to enforce it if he didn't die.

In conclusion, if Abraham Lincoln wasn't assassinated, he could've been president until 1869 and have a longer term, help with the economic integration, western development, and cleaning

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Lincoln’s purpose in giving his speech was to unite the Americans and to encourage them to stand together against the war and to, "… strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”…

    • 491 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Abraham Lincoln is arguably one of the most influential presidents that our nation has had to this day. He fought to abolish slavery through the beginning phases of the Emancipation Proclamation, and attempted to unify our country once again. Though Lincoln accomplished an incredible amount in office and played a vital part in how America functions today, it was his assassination that truly changed America forever. In the book, Killing Lincoln written by Bill O’ Reilly and Martin Dugard, these co-authors explore what led the assassination and the advances to track down Wilkes Booth and everyone that helped him.…

    • 279 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Abraham Lincoln - 10

    • 887 Words
    • 4 Pages

    President Lincoln was willing to do almost anything and everything in order to keep the Union together, so he sent troops to western Virginia, which did not want to secede like the rest of the state, and he sent troops to Missouri to secure those areas. As well, President Lincoln declared Martial law in Maryland. Some of these acts were of dubious legality, but it just showed how determined the President was at trying to preserve his country. He even tried to propose a plan that would appeal to the states that had already seceded by proposing to Congress to cooperate with any state that adopted the plan of gradual abolishment of slavery (A).…

    • 887 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This paper will first talk about what was happening the North and South at the time like the mood and tone of the war. In the second paragraph it will present statements from some of the conspirators like their motive and just what they had to say about their actions. After that, it will go in detail about the facts of the assassination including when, where, and how it happened. Next, we will talk about the aftemath of this event and how it changed America and they way the nation protect our president now days. Finally, the conclusion on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the other victims. Abraham Lincoln wasn’t the only one to be murdered or attempted to be murdered on April 14th, 1865. He was one of many on the hitlist for a group…

    • 1604 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14,1865, by a man named John Wilkes Booth. President Lincoln was shot and killed while at a showing at Ford’s Theatre in Washington D.C. John Wilkes Booth(Abraham killer) was a man from Maryland and remained in the North. Himself and six conspirators originally planned a kidnapping with President Lincoln but he failed to show up. This made Mr.Booth take actions to his own hands by sneaking behind him at a play and tragically killing him. Mr.Booth’s intentions of killing him was in hope it would be an action to save the confederacy.…

    • 1657 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    "Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard is about the awful plan of John Wilkes Booth and assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The Civil War which was led by President Lincoln and the president of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis lasted for four years. John Wilkes Booth was a famous actor and well respected. Booth decided to take part in a conspiracy that included kidnapping Lincoln and holding him hostage until the Confederacy was restored. As Booth's obsession grew, so did his hatred against Lincoln. Booth settled on the idea that kidnapping was not enough, Lincoln had to be assassinated. Booth also had other…

    • 584 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Also because of the Emancipation Proclamation of banning all slaves in rebellious states that made the South hate him even more now. Once Lincoln found his best General and leader Ulysses S. Grant with Grant’s and Lincoln’s victories at Gettysburg we defended are hardest and our best with our best top gun we had; even if the South had Robert E. Lee we still won and had another victory at Vicksburg controlling the Mississippi River and no trade to the South And Sherman’s push to Atlanta cutting it straight in half and burning it to pieces he knew every aspect of this war and how to get the right channel and he has general Grant the best general the North ever had and he became to be a very strong leader and he was the best he could be at his ability and all the success led us to a victory especially it is success at Vicksburg…

    • 748 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    He promoted the growth of slavery by kicking American Indians off their land in order to get cotton land for white Americans. He was against the idea of Nullification (nullification means states don’t have to follow federal laws), and when South Carolina threatened to secede (break up the country)…

    • 302 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Abraham Lincoln won the election of 1860. As a president of the United States, Lincoln’s goal was to keep the Union together. The problem of slavery and the secession by the South are mainly the two issues that lead to the dissolve of the Union, in which Lincoln put all his efforts to deal with during his presidency. “He believes this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. He does not expect the Union to be dissolved; He does not expect the house to fall; but he does expect it will cease to be divided.” Lincoln claimed that it is either all free or all slaves in the Union, the Union cannot tolerate half free and half slaves. Lincoln viewed slavery as “a moral, social, and political wrong”. He “does not believe it is a constitutional right to hold slaves in a territory of the United States” (Paul Boyer 360). Lincoln’s dream was to free all the slaves, but this dream can only go by gradually, he cannot end slavery immediately because it will further the dissolve of the Union. However, Southerners viewed his victory of being a president of the United States as a victory for abolition. Here the problem raised, southern states decided to begin the process of secession from the Union. Lincoln’s hard time began from now on. How was he going to solve this problem? Lincoln help preserved the Union in three different aspects which are economic, military and political policies. His economic strategy was to use capital, weapon and trade; his military strategy was the war of attrition and the three-part strategy to take over the control of Mississippi River and Richmond; his political strategy was to promise he will not end slavery immediately but gradually and establish the Emancipation of Proclamation to claim that every slaves in South will be free so that they will…

    • 1398 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Abraham Lincoln change the country in many ways like ending the civil war,slavery, racial rights and help all Americans in the country.…

    • 259 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    After the Civil War, Lincoln's main goal was to heal the United States. Our country went through a very long and difficult war for four years. The tension was high between the North and the South now more then ever, and Lincoln wanted to fix our country's problems as soon as possible. There was a group in Congress who wanted citizenship and suffrage (the right the right to vote) for African Americans. they were known as the Radical Republicans. It took a…

    • 821 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War led to Union victory. First, he ensured that the Border States, the states that were still on the edge, joined the Union by proclaiming that it was not a war to end slavery, but a war to save the Union. If he would not have gained these states, it is very likely that the Confederacy could have won the war. He also proclaimed war in such a way that he would gain support, not lose it. He sent supplies to Fort Sumter, only to provide for them, not to reinforce them. However, South Carolina troops attacked the fort, allowing Lincoln to declare war on the South and gained support from troops to regain control of military forts. Lincoln also extended his powers, because of the Supreme Court case which ruled that the president had more power during a time of war. He created the draft, forcing much needed…

    • 612 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lincoln was a strong, confident president who remained steadfast in his principles. At a time of crisis he led the nation into an unpopular civil war. He could have gone the easy route, and ignored the Confederate States of America, ergo avoiding conflict. However, he felt that the union was something exceptional, and was worth preserving. Lincoln was less concerned about his own personal life and what people thought of him. He remained strong and he fought for our country and his principles. President Lincoln gave his life and sacrificed the lives of his fellow American so the union would be preserved.…

    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Did you know that John Wilkes Booth’s original plan was to kidnap Abraham Lincoln? Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865. Booth snuck into the presidential booth and shot Lincoln in the head with a pistol. Escaping Booth broke his leg, but worked through the pain. Booth was captured 12 days later. The morning of April 15, Abraham Lincoln died. The assassination of Lincoln shocked the country. He was the first president to be assassinated. Even though John Wilkes Booth was desperate, the assassination of him was unjustified because John Wilkes Booth didn't have to kill him for his stand on politics and no power over the decision for Lincoln to win the election.…

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    1865 1900

    • 1010 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Lincoln’s death changed the course of the country trying to rebuild after the Civil War. President Andrew Johnson was not popular and could not convince Congress especially the southerners to go along with him. Lincoln had a plan to build up the South and end the hate. He ordered amnesty and that the south be rebuilt. He pardoned, with a few exceptions, any southerner who would swear allegiance to the Union and the United States Constitution. His plan was to let the Confederate states back into the Legislature, but it was not working too well. We will never know how that went because he was assassinated. His idea always was to try to “mend fences” and forgive. The entire civil rights movement was set back because of the death of Lincoln.…

    • 1010 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays