Lincoln Assassination - Intermediate Level
A slightly more detailed and difficult quiz about the Lincoln assassination.
- 1.
Who attended the theatre as the Lincoln's guests in the Presidential Box the night Lincoln was assassinated?
- A.
General and Mrs. Grant
- B.
Clara Harris and Major Henry Rathbone
- C.
Secretary of State William Seward and his daughter Fanny
- D.
Vice President Andrew Johnson and Mrs. Eliza Johnson
Correct Answer
B. Clara Harris and Major Henry RathboneExplanation
General and Mrs. Grant had intended to attend the theatre that night with the Lincolns, but cancelled their plans that afternoon.Rate this question:
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- 2.
What was the name of the actor onstage when Booth shot Lincoln?
- A.
Harry Hawke
- B.
Laura Keene
- C.
John Dyott
- D.
George Parkhurst
Correct Answer
A. Harry HawkeExplanation
Laura Keene, John Dyott, and George Parkhurst were all actors in that evening's performance of Our American Cousin, but only Harry Hawke was onstage at the time of the assassination.Rate this question:
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- 3.
How did Booth escape the theatre?
- A.
He didn't; he was arrested immediately
- B.
He climbed up to the catwalk and made his way out through the wings
- C.
He fought his way through the crowd and left out the front doors
- D.
He jumped from the Presidential Box to the stage and ran out the backstage door
Correct Answer
D. He jumped from the Presidential Box to the stage and ran out the backstage doorExplanation
Booth escaped the theatre by jumping from the Presidential Box to the stage and then running out the backstage door.Rate this question:
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- 4.
What happened to the gun that Booth used to shoot Lincoln?
- A.
He took it with him on his escape, where it was found on him when he was caught
- B.
He dropped it off at a tavern owned by co-conspirator Mary Surratt on his escape route
- C.
He dropped it on the floor of the Presidential Box after shooting Lincoln, where it was collected by officials
- D.
He threw it into the audience before running out of the theatre
Correct Answer
C. He dropped it on the floor of the Presidential Box after shooting Lincoln, where it was collected by officialsExplanation
After shooting Lincoln, Booth dropped the gun on the floor of the Presidential Box. The gun was later collected by officials.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Which of the following individuals was NOT one of Booth's co-conspirators?
- A.
Mary Surratt
- B.
Lewis Powell
- C.
David Herold
- D.
Louis Wiechmann
Correct Answer
D. Louis WiechmannExplanation
Although Louis Wiechmann lived in Mary Surratt's house and witnessed the comings and goings of the conspirators, he was never convicted of conspiracy himself. He served as a key witness against the conspirators.Rate this question:
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- 6.
What injury did Booth suffer on his escape?
- A.
A broken fibula (small bone above the ankle)
- B.
A stab wound to the arm
- C.
A head wound from being hit with the butt of a knife
- D.
A kick to the chest
Correct Answer
A. A broken fibula (small bone above the ankle)Explanation
Booth broke his left fibula. The break likely occurred on his awkward jump to the stage from the Presidential Box, but he also had a night of hard riding after his escape, so it is possible that the break was either exacerbated or made complete on his ride out of town. Major Rathbone suffered a stab wound to the arm, inflicted by Booth. "Peanut John" Burroughs, an errand boy at Ford's Theatre, was holding Booth's horse outside the stage door. Booth hit him over the head with the butt of a knife and kicked him in the chest as he mounted his horse on his escape.Rate this question:
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- 7.
Who were the first doctors to attend Lincoln?
- A.
Charles Leale and Charles Taft
- B.
Charles Taft and Joseph Barnes
- C.
Joseph Barnes and Henry Rathbone
- D.
Edwin Stanton and Charles Leale
Correct Answer
A. Charles Leale and Charles TaftExplanation
Charles Leale was let into the Box by Major Rathbone, who removed the barricade blocking the door to the Box. Charles Taft was sitting in the lower level of the theatre and was lifted into the Box from the stage level, arriving just after Dr. Leale. Dr. Joseph Barnes was Lincoln's Surgeon General, and helped attend to the president once he arrived on the scene. Edwin Stanton was Lincoln's Secretary of War, and was present at the Petersen House throughout the evening while President Lincoln was dying.Rate this question:
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- 8.
What happened to Clara Harris and Major Rathbone after the assassination?
- A.
Major Rathbone went on to star in several early films, including one role as Sherlock Holmes.
- B.
They married, had children, and moved to Europe. In 1883, Major Rathbone suffered a mental breakdown, killing Clara and stabbing himself. He was institutionalized and died in 1911.
- C.
They chose not to marry, and Clara Harris went to live with Mrs. Lincoln for a time to comfort her.
- D.
They married but divorced amicably 15 years after the assassination.
Correct Answer
B. They married, had children, and moved to Europe. In 1883, Major Rathbone suffered a mental breakdown, killing Clara and stabbing himself. He was institutionalized and died in 1911.Explanation
It was not Henry Rathbone but Basil Rathbone who starred as Sherlock Holmes in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" (1939).Rate this question:
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- 9.
How many people did Booth and his co-conspirators attempt to assassinate on the night of April 14, 1865?
- A.
1 (Abraham Lincoln)
- B.
7 (The President, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Treasury, The Speaker of the House, Mrs. Lincoln, and General Grant)
- C.
3 (President Lincoln, Vice President Johnson, and Secretary of State Seward)
- D.
4 (Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln, Clara Harris, and Major Rathbone)
Correct Answer
C. 3 (President Lincoln, Vice President Johnson, and Secretary of State Seward)Explanation
General Grant may have originally been a target for assassination, but as he cancelled his plans to go to the theatre that night he was not attacked.Rate this question:
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- 10.
How many children did the Lincolns have?
- A.
3
- B.
1
- C.
2
- D.
4
Correct Answer
D. 4Explanation
The Lincoln's had four sons - Robert, Eddie, Willie, and Tad.Rate this question:
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- 11.
Which of the Lincoln children survived past the age of 18?
- A.
Robert
- B.
Robert and Tad
- C.
Willie and Eddie
- D.
Eddie, Tad, and Robert
Correct Answer
A. RobertExplanation
Only Robert Lincoln lived to adulthood. Eddie died at age 4 in 1850 before the Lincoln's came to Washington. Willie died in 1862 in the White House. Tad died in 1871 at the age of 18.Rate this question:
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- 12.
Where was Mary Lincoln when President Lincoln took his last breath?
- A.
Sitting next to her husband
- B.
Waiting in the front room of the Petersen House
- C.
At the White House
- D.
Inside Ford's Theatre
Correct Answer
B. Waiting in the front room of the Petersen HouseExplanation
Understandably upset, Mary Lincoln was wailing loudly in the Petersen House. She made repeated visits to her husband's death bed. Around 3 a.m., she began to wail loudly as her husband gasped for breath. Secretary Stanton, who had taken charge of the situation, commanded that someone take her out of the bedroom where Lincoln lay and not let her back in. She was taken back to the front parlor and wasn't in the room when her husband passed away.Rate this question:
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- 13.
What did Mary Lincoln say as she left the Petersen House after her husband died?
- A.
Her words were unintelligible
- B.
"At least he's at peace now."
- C.
"Now he belongs to the ages."
- D.
"That dreadful house!"
Correct Answer
D. "That dreadful house!"Explanation
It is believed that she said "that dreadful house" in reference to the theatre, and not the Petersen House, as she was said to be looking at the theatre when she spoke.Rate this question:
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- 14.
How did Booth choose his three targets of assassination?
- A.
He had a personal vendetta against each target.
- B.
He chose to assassinate the Vice President because he was a successor to the Office of the President. He chose to assassinate the Secretary of State because he was a powerful and staunch supporter of Lincoln's policies.
- C.
Each target owed him financial debts.
- D.
He wanted to kill as many government officials as possible.
Correct Answer
B. He chose to assassinate the Vice President because he was a successor to the Office of the President. He chose to assassinate the Secretary of State because he was a powerful and staunch supporter of Lincoln's policies.Explanation
Booth chose his three targets of assassination based on specific reasons. He targeted the Vice President because he was a successor to the Office of the President, meaning that his assassination could potentially create chaos and disrupt the government. He chose the Secretary of State because he was a powerful and staunch supporter of Lincoln's policies, and eliminating him would weaken Lincoln's administration. The explanation suggests that Booth's motivations were primarily political and aimed at destabilizing the government rather than personal or financial vendettas.Rate this question:
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- 15.
Who was supposed to assassinate Vice President Andrew Johnson?
- A.
George Atzerodt
- B.
David Herold
- C.
John Surratt
- D.
Lewis Powell
Correct Answer
A. George AtzerodtExplanation
George Atzerodt was one of the individuals involved in the conspiracy to assassinate Vice President Andrew Johnson. He was assigned the task of assassinating Johnson but ultimately failed to carry out the plan.Rate this question:
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- 16.
Who was assigned to assassinate Secretary William Seward?
- A.
George Atzerodt
- B.
Mary Surratt
- C.
Lewis Powell
- D.
Samuel Mudd
Correct Answer
C. Lewis PowellExplanation
Lewis Powell was assigned to assassinate Secretary William Seward.Rate this question:
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- 17.
Which of Booth's co-conspirators was released after a trial which ended in a hung jury?
- A.
Mary Surratt
- B.
Samuel Mudd
- C.
Ned Spangler
- D.
John Surratt
Correct Answer
D. John SurrattExplanation
John Surratt, the son of Mary Surratt, was caught in late 1866 in Egypt and taken back to the US for trial. He was acquitted by a hung jury. This may have been a result of the political firestorm surrounding his mother's trial and execution.Rate this question:
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- 18.
Who was Dr. Samuel Mudd?
- A.
A doctor who set Booth's leg as Booth was on the run
- B.
The Surgeon General
- C.
The first doctor into the Presidential Box to attend to President Lincoln
- D.
Lincoln's personal physician
Correct Answer
A. A doctor who set Booth's leg as Booth was on the runExplanation
Dr. Samuel Mudd was tried and convicted in conjunction with the assassination. He escaped hanging by one vote, instead receiving a sentence of life in prison. He was pardoned four years later. There is evidence that he was in fact guilty of knowingly aiding Booth on his escape, though there are those who still maintain his innocence. Contrary to popular belief, the phrase "His name is mud" is not a reference to Samual Mudd, but dates to at least 1823 and likely earlier.Rate this question:
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- 19.
What is Mary Surratt's chief historical significance?
- A.
Her diaries provided our only written records of the events of the assassination
- B.
She was the first woman to serve as a Confederate spy
- C.
She was the first woman executed by the U.S. government
- D.
She was pardoned and went on to become a successful business owner and suffragist
Correct Answer
C. She was the first woman executed by the U.S. governmentExplanation
Although convinced of Mary Surratt's complicity in the assassination, the military tribunal which convicted her expressed hesitation at executing her, given that she was a middle-aged woman. President Johnson refused to pardon her and she was executed on July 7, 1865 along with Atzerodt, Herold, and Powell.Rate this question:
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- 20.
What is left of the Lincoln family line?
- A.
There are no more direct descendants, the last having died in 1985
- B.
There are two descendants still alive who prefer to remain as anonymous as possible
- C.
Actor Andrew Lincoln is a direct descendant of Abraham Lincoln
- D.
A group of Lincoln's descendants operate the Lincoln Waffle Shop in Washington, DC
Correct Answer
A. There are no more direct descendants, the last having died in 1985Explanation
Of the Lincoln children, only Robert Lincoln survived into adulthood. He had three children, one of whom died as a teenager. His daughter Mary had one son, who died childless in 1971. His daughter Jessie married Warren Beckwith. She had two children - Mary Lincoln Beckwith (d. 1975) and Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith (d. 1985). Neither had children.Rate this question:
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- 21.
Why was the assassination of Vice President Johnson unsuccessful?
- A.
The gun Atzerodt was using misfired
- B.
George Atzerodt lost his nerve, got drunk, and left without attempting to assassinate Johnson
- C.
Johnson overpowered his assassin
- D.
Atzerodt only had a knife and Johnson managed to evade the knife enough to avoid fatal wounds
Correct Answer
B. George Atzerodt lost his nerve, got drunk, and left without attempting to assassinate JohnsonExplanation
George Atzerodt lost his nerve, got drunk, and left without attempting to assassinate Vice President Johnson. This suggests that Atzerodt's fear and intoxication hindered his ability to carry out the assassination.Rate this question:
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- 22.
Why was the attack on Secretary Seward unsuccessful?
- A.
Powell lost his nerve and left without attempting assassination.
- B.
Frederick Seward, the Secretary's son, overpowered Powell.
- C.
Fanny Seward, the Secretary's daughter, pleaded with Powell to spare her father's life, and Powell relented.
- D.
Seward had a broken jawbone and was wearing a cast covering his jugular. When Powell came at him with a knife, Seward was able to avoid fatal wounds thanks to the coverage given by the cast he wore and by rolling off the bed and to the floor during the attack.
Correct Answer
D. Seward had a broken jawbone and was wearing a cast covering his jugular. When Powell came at him with a knife, Seward was able to avoid fatal wounds thanks to the coverage given by the cast he wore and by rolling off the bed and to the floor during the attack.Explanation
The attack on Secretary Seward was unsuccessful because he had a broken jawbone and was wearing a cast covering his jugular. When Powell came at him with a knife, Seward was able to avoid fatal wounds thanks to the coverage given by the cast he wore and by rolling off the bed and to the floor during the attack.Rate this question:
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- 23.
What was Mary Surratt's task on April 14, 1865?
- A.
Hide a package for Booth at a tavern she owned so that he could retrieve it on his escape, along with some guns that had been hidden at the tavern a few weeks prior.
- B.
Assassinate General Grant
- C.
Provide an alibi for the other conspirators
- D.
Misdirect the police when they came looking for Booth.
Correct Answer
A. Hide a package for Booth at a tavern she owned so that he could retrieve it on his escape, along with some guns that had been hidden at the tavern a few weeks prior.Explanation
Mary Surratt's task on April 14, 1865, was to hide a package for Booth at a tavern she owned so that he could retrieve it during his escape. Additionally, there were also some guns hidden at the tavern a few weeks prior, which Booth intended to take with him.Rate this question:
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- 24.
How did Booth keep people out of the Presidential Box during the assassination?
- A.
He locked the door
- B.
He placed a chair under the door handle
- C.
He barricaded the door shut from the inside using a piece of a broken music stand
- D.
He placed a guard near the door
Correct Answer
C. He barricaded the door shut from the inside using a piece of a broken music standExplanation
Booth kept people out of the Presidential Box during the assassination by barricading the door shut from the inside using a piece of a broken music stand. This action prevented anyone from entering the box and potentially interrupting or stopping the assassination.Rate this question:
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- 25.
Where was Lincoln's bodyguard when Lincoln was assassinated?
- A.
Outside the door to the Box
- B.
He went for a drink with Charles Forbes and Francis Burke, two White House employees, earlier in the evening. His whereabouts after that are unknown.
- C.
Watching the play from the lower level of the theatre
- D.
He disappeared
Correct Answer
B. He went for a drink with Charles Forbes and Francis Burke, two White House employees, earlier in the evening. His whereabouts after that are unknown.Explanation
It has been alleged by some historians that Lincoln's bodyguard, John Parker, was derelict in his guard duty in abandoning his post; other historians have claimed that Parker was not required to be at the theatre but only to guard Lincoln on his way from the White House to the theatre. Either way, he was not at the theatre during the assassination, and no one knows his exact whereabouts at the time, as the records of his statement made to authorities during the investigation have been lost.Rate this question:
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