15 Questions
What is the significance of the month of April 1865 in American history?
It marks the beginning of the end of the American Civil War
Who surrendered his Confederate Army to the Union Army's General Ulysses S. Grant?
General Robert E. Lee
What was the consequence of General Lee's surrender?
Other Confederate generals also surrendered their armies
When was the last battle of the Civil War?
May 13, 1865
When was the Civil War officially declared over?
August 20, 1866
What was the role of George Azterodt in Booth's plan?
To kill Vice President Johnson
What was the title of the play Lincoln was watching when he was assassinated?
Our American Cousin
How did John Wilkes Booth escape from the Ford Theater after assassinating Lincoln?
By horseback with his co-conspirator Dave Herald
What event led to General Lee's decision to abandon Petersburg and Richmond in Virginia?
The Union Army's advance on the Confederate-led cities
Where did Charles Leale take Lincoln after he was shot?
A boarding house across the street from the Ford Theater
What was the main reason behind General Lee's surrender to General Grant?
He realized that continuing to fight would only lead to more casualties
What was the fate of Mary Surratt, one of Booth's accomplices?
She was the first woman hung for a federal crime
What was the outcome of the meeting between General Lee and General Grant on April 9, 1865?
They wrote two separate letters outlining the terms of surrender
What was the reaction to President Lincoln's assassination?
The capital was in shock for days
What was the original plan of John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirators?
To kidnap President Lincoln and take him to Richmond
Study Notes
The End of the American Civil War
- April 1865 was a crucial month in American history, marked by two significant events that led to the end of the Civil War.
- General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate Army to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, marking the beginning of the end of the Civil War.
The Surrender at Appomattox Court House
- General Lee was forced to abandon Petersburg and Richmond, key railroad junctions and the capital of the Confederacy, on April 1, 1865.
- Lee's army retreated, trying to reach Farmville, Virginia, but was surrounded by Union forces and cut off from supplies.
- On April 9, Lee realized that continuing to fight would only result in further losses and surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House.
Terms of Surrender
- Lee's men were allowed to keep their personal effects and horses, officers were allowed to keep their weapons and horses, and Lee's starving men received Union rations.
- All officers and men were pardoned, and Lee wrote a Farewell Address to his army, praising their devotion and consistency throughout the war.
Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln
- President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865.
- Booth's original plan was to kidnap Lincoln, but he changed his plan to assassination when the kidnapping failed.
- Booth's co-conspirators were assigned to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward, but only Seward was injured.
Aftermath of the Assassination
- Lincoln died the next morning, April 15, 1865, at 7:22 am, surrounded by his wife, son, and government officials.
- John Wilkes Booth escaped and was later found, captured, and killed on April 26, 1865.
- Booth's accomplices were arrested and later hung for their association with Booth.
Test your knowledge about the events that led to the end of the American Civil War, including the surrender of General Robert E. Lee and the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
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