Final answer:
John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln at Ford's Theater, exclaiming “Sic semper tyrannis!”, and was later killed by federal authorities. His co-conspirators were also brought to justice.
Step-by-step explanation:
John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, assassinated President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, during a performance at Ford's Theater. After he shot Lincoln, Booth is said to have exclaimed “Sic semper tyrannis!” (“Thus always to tyrants!”), which was a statement reflecting his belief that he was avenging the South. Lincoln was quickly attended to by a doctor but succumbed to his injuries the following morning. Booth's act was part of a larger conspiracy to destabilize the Union government and renew hope for the Confederate cause. Despite an attempt to flee, Booth was tracked down by federal authorities and killed on April 26, 1865. In the aftermath, several of Booth's co-conspirators were captured, tried, and executed for their roles in the conspiracy.