Final answer:
President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate supporter and actor, during a play at Ford's Theater on April 14, 1865. His death had significant repercussions for the Reconstruction era following the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Abraham Lincoln, a pivotal figure in American History, was assassinated by a Confederate supporter and actor named John Wilkes Booth. On April 14, 1865, while attending the play 'Our American Cousin' at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., Lincoln was shot by Booth, who then fled the scene. Lincoln succumbed to his injuries and passed away the next morning, marking one of the most tragic events in American history. The assassination was part of a larger conspiracy aimed at disrupting the Union government after the Civil War.
The impact of Lincoln's assassination was profound, leading to widespread mourning across the nation. Booth was later found by Union troops and killed, and several other co-conspirators were captured and executed. Lincoln's death significantly affected the course of the Reconstruction period that followed the Civil War.