2. Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln (April 14, 1865)
On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth while attending a performance of “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. This tragic event occurred just days after General Robert E. Lee’s surrender, signaling the end of the Civil War. Lincoln’s death plunged the nation into mourning and uncertainty, leaving the future of Reconstruction and national healing in question. For more details, refer to the Encyclopaedia Britannica’s article on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
