What if John Wilkes Booth had Missed? What would have been different over the next couple of years?

Answer 1

Probably not much. Lincoln had Marfan's Syndrome and likely would've died within a year anyway.

Answer 2

Not really a lot. Most historians say that the Civil War had taken a lot out of Lincoln, and that he probably had only a year or two to live anyhow.

As to the possibility of Booth missing --- Booth held his derringer almost directly up against the President's head. He would have had to have been a horribly lousy shot to blow that one.

Answer 3

The assassination of Lincoln by Boothe was considered to be the reason why the Northern occupying armies were so brutal to the South during reconstruction. Had Boothe missed, there may not have been a KKK as this organization started as a resistance army to the brutality of Union Army during their occupation of the South during reconstruction. They wore white sheets to symbolize the "ghosts" of the dead Confederate Generals executed as traitors. They were also a racist group back then, but continued on to be the entirely racist organization that they're famous for being.

Answer 4

Right before he died, Lincoln made a speech about the Reconstruction to come and hinted that blacks would be getting the right to vote soon. This was probably part of the motivation for his assassination.

Johnson was a southerner and a republican primarily because he believed the union should stay intact. He did not believe in the abolition of slavery as Lincoln did, and said before the civil war that every white family should own at least one slave to take the drudgery out of life. He greatly favored the rights of the poor southern whites over the freedmen. There were many ways that Johnson sabotaged the northern republicans visions for the Reconstruction (i.e. civil rights and economic parity for blacks.) He freely granted pardons to white southerners for their war crimes. Johnson also implicitly approved black codes, state legislation which took away most civil rights from blacks and which endorsed employment contracts between blacks and whites. These black codes were were economic slavery if not slavery in fact. He opposed the 14th Amendment which gave equal rights to blacks. Generally his policies strengthened the hand of southern whites and allowed the southern state and local government to continue their oppressive policies against the freed slaves.

Although Lincoln did not believe in full equality for blacks, he would have opposed most of this southern backlash. I think blacks would have made economic gains and they certainly would have gotten many of the rights promised to them under the 14th Amendment. The key factor was that Johnson was a southerner who greatly favored the interests of the south in particular and the "rights" of whites in general.

Answer 5

Lincoln had already made a dramatic impact on the county. I doubt he would have made any more bold changes over the next year. He would have kept his plans in motion though. I don't think the country would have been better/worse had he lived.

Answer 6

These are all great answers but, maybe whats missing is that how did Booth get a gun to the Presidents head? WHERE is SECURITY???????????

Answer 7

Great question!!
It's hard to say. For sure, reconstruction would have gone quite differently. Johnson would not have been Pres and therefore not have been brought up for impeachment. U.Grant may never have been Pres.
The ramifications and possibilities are endless.
Once again: Great Question!!

Answer 8

It's bad when good politicians get assassinated. It really messes with the country's future. Look at all the crappy politicians we've had after the Kennedy brothers were killed. Loser Parade.

Answer 9

Abraham Lincoln would have died some other way. As far as the rest. Noone can say for sure.

Answer 10

He would have been a widower, though it may have spared Mary some difficult years.