Today marks the anniversary of the day that John Wilkes Booth
changed American history forever. Until April 14, 1865, no
American president had been assassinated and only two had died
in office (William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor). However,
that April evening in 1865, Lincoln and his wife were enjoying
the play Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theater in DC, when John
Wilkes Booth entered the President’s box and fired his
derringer, lodging the ball in Lincoln’s head. Today is a sad
anniversary for our nation, as we lost one of our greatest
leaders before we should have. Much speculation reigns today
about the course of Reconstruction and post-war America had
Lincoln finished his second term. I would argue that had Lincoln
not been shot, the nation would have endured a much gentler
Reconstruction and relations between the North and South would
have been more positive in the late nineteenth century. Imagine
the post-Presidential life that Lincoln could have enjoyed.
Would he have toured the world deliverin