The assassination of Abraham Lincoln is one of the most significant events in the history of America. President Lincoln was an individual who treasured humanity and the equality of men even in their diversity. He had plans to emancipate all slaves and spread power mainly to the minority in the quest for a united country. Although Lincoln did not live to complete his mission, the president inspired people from all walks of life especially with the remembrance of what he lived for and, consequently, that for which he died. He became a martyr, and his death was a symbol of strong will, which was instrumental in the civil war (Rodrigue, 2013).

Secondary Sources

The two books, ‘The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln before the Civil War’ by Daniel Stashower and, ‘Lincoln and Reconstruction’ by John Rodrigue, both delve deeply into the life of Abraham, and eventually his death. John’s description centers more on Lincoln’s effort in gearing towards the reconstruction of the United States. Daniel’s book, on the other hand, aimed at reconstructing the events that led to his death, and, most essentially the fact that the conspirators planned for it to happen before the civil war (Stashower, 2013). The two books used together paint a clear picture of who Lincoln was and the principles for which he stood and died. As I was perusing through various available sources, it was imperative for me to find a combination of sources that first described Lincoln’s life and the principles that made him famous and then gave an explained the events that led to his death. In this manner, it was a guarantee that I would be able to build the significance of this event, his death, in history. I made a choice based on the credibility of the sources, that is, their appropriateness for academic use.

Research Question

• What was the impact of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination on the reconstruction?

References

Stashower, D. (2013). The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War. Macmillan.

Rodrigue, J. C. (2013). Lincoln and Reconstruction. SIU Press.