The first president of the United States to be assassinated was Abraham Lincoln. He was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor and Confederate sympathizer, on April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.
Booth was a staunch supporter of the Confederacy and was angered by Lincoln's policies, particularly the Emancipation Proclamation. He believed that Lincoln's actions were detrimental to the South and that he was responsible for the ongoing war and the suffering it caused.
Booth's act of assassination was a pivotal moment in American history. It marked the end of the Civil War and the beginning of a new era of Reconstruction. Booth's actions also highlighted the deep divisions that existed within the country and the lasting impact of the war.
