Visitors admire the front facade of Ford’s Theatre today. Photo by Michael Chornesky.

Ford’s Theatre National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site

Washington D.C.

Junior Ranger Activity Booklet

Explore - Learn - Protect

Ford’s Theatre Society

This Junior Ranger Activity Booklet belongs to:

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM
Welcome to Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site!

Hello! You are at Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site (NHS), managed by the National Park Service (NPS), a bureau of the United States Department of the Interior. Over a million people visit 

this park each year, just a portion of over 250 million people that go to National Parks annually.

The National Park Service was founded in 1916 by an Act of Congress signed into law by then 

President Woodrow Wilson. That act charges the NPS to “promote and regulate the use of the 

Federal areas known as national parks, monuments and reservations... to conserve the scenery 

and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment 

of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the 

enjoyment of future generations.” These are the core values of the National Park Service.

This image is the National Park Service logo. The trees, mountains and buffalo represent the natural resources 

that NPS manages. The arrowhead stands for historical and cultural resources. Arrowhead courtesy NPS.

In 1933, 56 nationally important sites managed by the Forest Service and the War Department 

were transferred to the National Park Service. It eventually grew to a network of almost 400 

natural, historic, and recreational sites covering over 84 million acres in 49 states, the District 

of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan, and the Virgin Islands. The current 

mission of the NPS is “to preserve the natural and cultural resources and values of the national 

park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.”

Did You Know?

•	 California has the most national parks of 

any U.S. state: 23.

•	 Delaware is the only U.S. state that does 

not contain a national park.

Funding for this booklet was provided by the National Park Foundation, the official charity of 

America’s National Parks. The National Park Foundation supports the National Park Service’s 

Junior Ranger program as part of a nationwide effort to connect children to America’s heritage 

and ensure the future of its national parks for all children’s enjoyment and enrichment.

Become a National Park Service Junior Ranger online at www.nps.gov/webrangers

Park Mission:

The mission of Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site is to protect and conserve the historic site and associated 

artifact/museum collection (including Petersen House---the House Where Lincoln died). We also seek to promote 

and preserve by formal and informal interpretation the legacy, assassination, and final hours of Abraham Lincoln, 

along with nineteenth century theatre.

This booklet was produced by the National Park Service and created by Student Conservation 

Association (SCA) Junior Ranger Ambassador Michael Chornesky. Special thanks to Wendy Davis, 

Tom Davies, Corky Mayo, Rae Emerson, Gloria Swift, Jeff Leary, Ford’s Theatre Society Education staff 

Nicole Murray and Sarah Jencks, Terry Adams, and others, whose efforts assured swift completion.

1
Activity Booklet Table of Contents

This (background) is Petersen House, across from Ford’s Theatre, where President Abraham Lincoln died at 7:22 

AM, April 15, 1865. Learn more about the house in What is a Ranger (page 15). Photo by Michael Chornesky.

* These activities include fun bonus questions.

Many wore ribbons like 

this one to mourn Lincoln’s 

death. Courtesy of Library 

of Congress/Alfred Whital 

Stern Collection.

Safety Tip 1: Rangers and park volunteers wear uniforms to identify themselves to you. 

Some have nametags. They wear either a gray and green uniform with an NPS arrowhead 

(see pages 2 and 14) on the sleeve or a shirt with a Ford’s Theatre logo. Along with your 

family, friends and teachers, these people can help you finish this booklet during your visit. 

Please stay close to your parent or guardian at all times.

Page 1: National Park Service Information, Special Thanks 

Page 2: Table of Contents, First Safety Tip

Page 3: Ford’s Theatre Park History and Tour Information

Page 4: Junior Ranger Program Info, Becoming A Junior Ranger

Pages 5-6: Walk the Past: Self-Guided Tour, Second Safety Tip

Page 7: What is the Keyword?

Page 8: Wanted!

Page 9: What is the Secret Message?*

Page 10: Who Were Lincoln and (Frederick) Douglass?*

Page 11: Who Am I?

Page 12: Lincoln, Booth, and Shakespeare

Page 13: Where Did Booth Go?

Page 14: What Do You See?*

Page 15: What Is a Park Ranger?*

Pages 16-17: What Did Lincoln’s Assassination Mean?

Page 18: Where Can I Learn More?

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Park History: The building that is now Ford’s Theatre dates 

all the way back to 1834, when it was opened as the First 

Baptist Church of Washington, D.C. John T. Ford purchased 

it in 1861 and transformed it into a theatre, which opened 

with the performance of an opera on November 19, 1861. 

In December 1862, a bad fire gutted the building, but the 

Fords rebuilt it and it was reopened as Ford’s New Theatre 

in August 1863. President Abraham Lincoln attended over a 

dozen shows here between 1863 and April 14, 1865.

Actor John Wilkes Booth shot and killed Lincoln as he 

watched the play Our American Cousin here that night. 

The Fords tried to reopen the Theatre in July of 1865, but 

public pressure forced them to close it for good. Ford sold 

the building to the War Department in 1866. It was used as 

government offices until June 9, 1893, when the filled-in 

upper floors collapsed, killing 22 and injuring another 68. 

Following the collapse, the building became a warehouse and Lincoln Museum. Meanwhile, in 

1896, the U.S. government purchased Petersen House, where Lincoln died. The National Park 

Service acquired Ford’s Theatre in 1933. With the help of Ford’s Theatre Society, founded in 

1967 by Frankie Hewitt, NPS restored Ford’s Theatre to its 1865 appearance and reopened it as 

a working theatre and historic site on January 30, 1968. Further renovations started in 2007, 

and the Theatre reopened on February 12, 2009, the 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth.

A sign above the lobby entrance welcomes Ford’s Theatre’s visitors (background). Photos by NPS/Terry Adams.

Ford’s Theatre History and Tours

Rangers and volunteers in Civil War 

period clothing talk to park visitors.

Visitors enter Ford’s Theatre and its 

museum through these double doors.

What is Here For Me to See?: Tickets to visit Ford’s Theatre 

NHS are available online and in person at the box office. The 

site is open daily, and tickets are free of charge. Visitors can 

see three separate attractions:

Museum: Reopened on July 15, 2009, this state-of-the-art 

museum features videos and historical artifacts such as the 

suit Lincoln wore to the Theatre and Booth’s Deringer pistol.

Ford’s Theatre: This working theatre is open from 9:00 am to 

4:30 pm every day except Christmas and performance nights. 

They can involve either a presentation by a Park Ranger or 

volunteer, a walkthrough, or sometimes even a short play.

Petersen House: Narrated walkthroughs of “The House 

Where Lincoln Died” are available from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm 

daily. Park visits can run up to 90 minutes.

3
National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior Junior Rangers

How Do I Become a Junior Ranger?

Welcome to the Junior Ranger Program!

Now that you know about what went into creating this booklet 

and the important places you can explore while visiting Ford’s 

Theatre National Historic Site, it is now time for you to become 

an official Junior Ranger with the National Park Service!

The checklist below can help you track the activities you have 

finished and the amount you need to complete to achieve your 

goal. There are eleven activities in all. If you are nine years old or 

less, complete three activities to receive a Ford’s Theatre Junior 

Ranger badge and certificate and a total of five to also get a 

National Park Service patch. If you are over nine years old, finish 

five activities for a badge and certificate and seven total to get a 

patch. The table of contents on the page two lists each activity 

and their locations to help you find the tasks you want to do.

On this page both the official logo of the Junior Ranger program (background left) and with tickets patrons used 

to enter Ford’s Theatre during the Civil War (right) are displayed. Ticket image courtesy the Library of Congress. 

Activities I Have Completed Number to My Goal

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

4
Walk the Past

The effects of the Lincoln assassination on April 14, 1865 were felt not only at Ford’s 

Theatre and inside Petersen House, but all over Washington. This activity will enable you, 

and the people with you, to explore the past by seeing other places that played a part 

in the events of that night. Below and on the next page, you have a map of the nearby 

area, a list of places to visit, some information about each of them, and a question to 

answer at each stop. Visit three of the six sites on the map to complete the activity. 

Make sure to read the safety tip on the next page before you go. Have fun!

1 Mary Surratt’s Boarding House: This house, located at 604 H Street, belonged to Mary Surratt, who 

was executed along with conspirators Lewis Powell, David Herold and George Atzerodt on July 7, 1865. 

The house played host to many involved in the plot during 1864 and 1865. Be sure to look for the small 

plaque on the building’s front and a blue signboard near the street created by Cultural Tourism DC, as 

both give interesting information about the house’s history.

Question: What business now occupies the Surratt Boarding House?

National Park Service Map of Downtown Washington D.C.

North

You Are Here

1

4 3 2

5

6

5
This drawing of Booth escaping the stage of Ford’s Theatre (background) appeared in the April 29, 1865, issue 

of Harper’s Weekly, an important newspaper during the Civil War period. Image courtesy Library of Congress.

Walk the Past (Continued)

2 Old Patent Office/Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery Building: On March 6, 1865, Abraham 

Lincoln held his Second Inaugural Ball in this building, which was then home to the U.S. Patent Office. 

He may have walked exactly where you are standing now! To learn more about this building, read the 

Cultural Tourism DC signboard on the sidewalk on F Street between 7th and 9th.

Question: What museum is directly across the street from the Old Patent Office building?

3 Herndon House: In 1865, the southwest corner of 9th and F Streets was home to Herndon House, a 

small hotel. At 8:00 pm on the night of April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth and fellow conspirators David 

Herold and Lewis Powell, who were staying at the hotel, met to plan their attacks on Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State William Seward.

Question: What hotel occupies the site of Herndon House today?

Safety Tip 2: Remember as you visit the park that you’re in a busy urban area. Stay with 

your parents or group at all times and be careful crossing streets around the city. Be aware 

on Tenth Street (between the Theatre and Petersen House) especially, as it is a high traffic 

area for cars, trucks, and tour buses. 

4 ”Baptist Alley”: Further down F Street toward 10th, you’ll see a long alley. Down this alley and to the 

right is the back of Ford’s Theatre, where Booth fled after he shot Lincoln. It is known as “Baptist Alley” 

because Ford’s Theatre’s building was originally home to the First Baptist Church of Washington. For 

more information, see the Cultural Tourism DC signboard on F Street just outside the alley.

Question: How many doorways do you see in the back of the Theatre? What do you think they were 

used for? What are they used for today?

5 Kirkwood House: At 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue (diagonal from the Old Post Office tower) 

is where Kirkwood House (a hotel) stood in 1865. Andrew Johnson slept here as the assassination was 

happening. One of Booth’s accomplices, George Atzerodt (who stayed here), was supposed to shoot 

Johnson, but could not bring himself to do it. Booth also stopped by that morning looking for Johnson.

Question: What kind of building stands on the site of Kirkwood House today?

National Theatre: This building on Pennsylvania Avenue between 13th and 14th housed what was 

Grover’s National Theatre in 1865. It remains a working theatre to this day. Lincoln watched a number 

of productions here during his Presidency. On the night of April 14, 1865, Lincoln’s son Tad watched a 

play, Aladdin and the Magic Lamp here as John Wilkes Booth shot his father at Ford’s Theatre. For more, 

download Cultural Tourism DC’s podcast (CulturalTourismDC.org) on this and other downtown sites.

6

Question: Go to Freedom Plaza across the street from National Theatre. Look toward the Theatre. Now 

look to your right (east). What important building do you see looking down Pennsylvania Avenue?

6
In this activity, you will see a series of questions about the history of Ford’s Theatre and 

President Lincoln’s assassination at the bottom of the page. Answer them using what 

you learn from the exhibits and listening to Park Rangers here. Each answer contains one 

letter of a keyword, which is inside the box at the center of the page. Several hints about 

the keyword are also given to help you. Hints to help you answer the eight questions can 

be found in the museum tour, theatre presentation and at the house where Lincoln died.

Hints (about the keyword):

Many members of this group lived in Washington during the Civil War, helped close the 

Theatre permanently late in 1865 and brought to justice many involved in the assassination.

This picture (background) was taken by renowned Civil War photographer Mathew Brady. It shows the front 

facade of Ford’s Theatre just days after Lincoln’s assassination. Photo courtesy National Park Service.

What is the Keyword?

D

N

W

O

Y

S

E

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

O

U

B

Question Bank:

1. This doctor cared for Booth’s broken leg as he fled through Southern Maryland.

2. State that seceded from the Union in 1861, Booth died there 12 days after shooting Lincoln. 

3. This man stabbed Secretary of State William Seward on the night of April 14, 1865.

4. The Northern states were collectively known by this name during the Civil War.

5. Lincoln’s assassin belonged to this acting family, along with his brothers Edwin and Junius.

6. A family deeply involved in the plot, both mother and son were later tried in different courts.

7. Lincoln was taken to this house across the street shortly after being shot in the theatre.

8. This Civil War era photographer took pictures of the Theatre just after Lincoln’s death.

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Wanted!

It is the night of April 14, 1865. You are a detective 

of the Washington City Police Department. You hear a 

commotion from down the street at Ford’s Theatre and 

the crowd outside tells you that the President was just 

shot, his assassin escaped. You are charged to find and 

bring to justice those who helped John Wilkes Booth 

plan and carry out the assassination. You will be given 

the names and photographs of six people. Some of 

them are guilty, others are not. Using museum exhibits, 

ranger presentations, and your detective skills, discover 

and circle or mark those who aided Booth in his crime.

In the background is a wanted poster from April 20, 1865. It offers a reward for the capture of Booth and 

accomplices John Surratt and David Herold. Images courtesy National Park Service and Library of Congress.

Edwin Stanton

George Atzerodt

Lewis Powell

Jefferson Davis

Mary Surratt

Clara Harris

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Key: M = 1 I = 2 C = 3 H = 4 A = 5 E = 6 L = 7 O = 8 R = 9 N = 10

 S = 11 K = 12 Y = 13 U = 14 D = 15 P = 16 T = 17 Z = 18 Q = 19

 B = 20 F = 21 J = 22 G = 23 V = 24 X = 25 W = 26

This image (background) was taken by photographer Mathew Brady. It shows the Presidential Box inside of 

Ford’s Theatre, where President Lincoln was shot only days before. Photo courtesy National Park Service.

Secret Message:

5 20 5 4 5 1 7 10 7 10

26 5 11 17 4 6 21 2 9 11 17

16 9 6

2 8

11 2 15 6 10 17

9

17 8 20 6

5 11 11 5 11 11 2 10 5 17

Bonus Question:

Three other U.S. Presidents were assassinated in office. Name as many of them as you can.

6 15

3

During the Civil War, people often used codes to communicate important information. 

These codes created messages that could not be read without a key, which the person 

for whom the message was written usually knew beforehand. For this task, you will be 

given a list of numbers that seem random, but which contain a secret message about 

the park. Using the key below, decode the message. Also check out the bonus question 

and an interesting fact about John Wilkes Booth and codes further down the page.

What is the Secret Message?

Did You Know?

Police discovered coded letters in John Wilkes Booth’s room at the National Hotel shortly 

after he fled Washington. Many think these letters and several meetings Booth may have 

had in Canada with Confederate agents show that there was a much larger conspiracy to kill 

President Lincoln. And while no direct evidence has yet been found of a link between Booth, 

the conspirators, and the Confederate government, historians continue to debate the issue.

9
Who Were Lincoln and Douglass?

On this page (background) are portraits of Lincoln (left) and Douglass (right). Lincoln’s was taken by Alexander Gardner 

in February of 1865, Douglass’s in 1868. Images courtesy Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Collection.

What is a Venn Diagram? A Venn diagram is made up of two overlapping circles (see above). 

This Venn diagram is meant to display similarities and differences between Abraham Lincoln 

and Frederick Douglass, with traits they share going where the two circles overlap and traits 

one has that the other doesn’t going in that person’s circle.

As you go through the park, you will hear much about the sixteenth president of the 

United States, Abraham Lincoln. A related figure from his time was Frederick Douglass, a 

former slave who, like Lincoln, rose to fame using his skills as a public speaker. Using what 

you know and what you can gather from exhibits and Park Rangers, fill in the provided 

Venn diagram (below) with what these important men shared in common and where they 

differed from one another. A video about them plays in the museum if you need help.

Abraham Lincoln

Frederick Douglass

Wore a Stovepipe Hat

Born in Kentucky Born in Maryland

Abolitionist Author

Bonus Question: Name a key change that occurred in post-Civil War America that both Lincoln 

and Douglass helped to effect.

 A Venn diagram is made up of two overlapping circles (

This Venn diagram is meant to display similarities and differences between Abraham Lincoln 

and Frederick Douglass, with traits they share going where the two circles overlap and traits 

one has that the other doesn’t going in that person’s circle.

) and Douglass (

in February of 1865, Douglass’s in 1868. Images courtesy Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Collection.

Name a key change that occurred in post-Civil War America that both Lincoln 

10
Who Am I?

Tad Lincoln

Laura Keene

John Wilkes Booth

Harry Hawk

I was a regular actor at Ford’s Theatre 

and starred in many plays there. I was on 

stage as Asa Trenchard in Our American 

Cousin when I heard a loud pop come 

from the President’s box. The shooter 

soon rushed by me, a large knife in his 

hand, shouting “Sic Semper Tyrannis.”

I was not at Ford’s Theatre on the night 

of the assassination. Instead, I went to 

see another play, Aladdin and the Magic 

Lamp, at the National Theatre. I was 

rushed to the White House after being 

told of the assassination. I died in 1871 at 

the age of eighteen.

I was an important stage actress during 

the Civil War. I was a star and producer 

of Our American Cousin. I was at Ford’s 

Theatre performing that play on the night 

Lincoln was shot. The shooter hurried by 

me carrying a large knife as I prepared for 

the next scene offstage.

I was born in Bel Air, Maryland, and grew 

up in Baltimore. I was a famous actor 

who supported the Confederacy. The 

Ford family knew me well, and I came to 

their Theatre to get my mail early on April 

14, 1865, when I heard Lincoln would be 

there to attend a play that night.

In this photo (background), a Park Ranger gives a presentation about the assassination from the stage of Ford’s 

Theatre. Behind her is the Presidential Box, where Lincoln sat that night. Photograph by Michael Chornesky.

11

Photos Courtesy NPS

Plays and theatre are important to Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site. Lincoln was shot 

here, in a theatre, and his assassin was an actor. In this activity, the name, photo, and 

a short biography of four people who attended or were involved in theatre at the time 

of Lincoln’s assassination are listed out of order. Using the park’s exhibits and listening 

to Park Rangers and volunteers, match each name to the correct picture and biography. 

Clues about each person can be found in the museum and in the theatre presentation.
Lincoln, Booth, and Shakespeare

In this image (background) John Wilkes Booth (left) plays Brutus, opposite brothers Edwin (middle) and Junius 

(right) in Shakespeare’s historical tragedy Julius Caesar. Image courtesy NPS.

Theatre played a major role in the events of April 14, 1865. Not only was it the setting 

for the assassination, it also shaped the personalities of Booth, the assassin and Lincoln 

himself. An important figure in the history of theatre was English playwright and poet 

William Shakespeare (1564-1616). This activity will help teach you about Shakespeare 

by giving you examples of his plays and how these ideas influenced Lincoln and Booth. 

Questions will be asked throughout so you can show what you learned.

Shakespeare and Abraham Lincoln: Lincoln greatly enjoyed Shakespeare’s works and loved going to the 

theatre, which he saw as a relief from the difficult-to-bear duties of the Presidency. Lincoln read Shakespeare in 

his youth and quoted it in for guidance in his personal and political life.

In early 1864, when the Civil War looked bleak, as did Lincoln’s chances to win a second term as President, he 

expressed his feelings by quoting a line from Shakespeare’s play Macbeth to his cabinet:

“Out, out, brief candle!

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury

Signifying nothing.” (Act V, scene v)

William Shakespeare: Shakespeare is one of the most widely read authors in the English language. Born 

and raised in England in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare rose from unknown beginnings to 

become London’s most important dramatist and playwright by 1600. During his life, Shakespeare wrote 38 

plays and countless poems. He mostly penned works of history, comedy, and tragedy, and his plays covered 

the range of human experience. Many still look to Shakespeare for words of guidance today.

Question 1: Other than Macbeth and Julius Caesar, what are two other Shakespeare plays that you know 

of? Why do you think his works are so well remembered today?

Shakespeare and John Wilkes Booth: Shakespeare’s works also made a strong impact on John Wilkes 

Booth. A rising actor in the American theatre, Booth performed the plays of Shakespeare many times, and 

became engrossed in one of them in particular: Julius Caesar.

Julius Caesar is a historical play about Caesar’s life as military hero and Emperor of the Roman Empire, and 

his death at the hands of a group of assassins on March 15, 44 BCE. Booth saw Lincoln as more dangerous 

than Caesar. As Booth wrote during his escape, “I am here in despair. And why? For doing what Brutus (one 

of Caesar’s assassins) was honored for... [I struck] down a greater tyrant than they [the Romans] ever knew.”

Question 2: What are some ways that Shakespeare’s plays relate to things in your life today?

12
It is April 24, 1865, and you are a soldier in the 16th New York Cavalry, stationed in 

Washington. Your captain, Edward Doherty, has tasked you with tracing the steps of 

and capturing Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth and his accomplice David Herold as 

they flee toward Confederate Virginia. Using the maps below and a pen or pencil, trace 

Booth’s path through Washington and Booth and Herold as they trek through Maryland 

into Virginia. Hint: On the Maryland-Virginia map, look at the dates listed at each dot; 

they will help you to figure out the correct order of Booth and Herold’s movements.

Where Did Booth Go?

This image of Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth appeared on the front page of Harper’s Weekly on April 29, 

1865, the issue in which they first broke the news of the assassination. Image courtesy Library of Congress. Map Courtesy NPS

Start Here

To Navy Yard Bridge

Map Courtesy NPS

This photo by Mathew 

Brady is of the Navy Yard 

Bridge, which Booth 

crossed as he escaped. 

Courtesy National Archives

13
What Do You See?

A view inside Ford’s Theatre after its 1968 restoration (background). Visible are the stage and chairs as they 

were when the Theatre first reopened. Photo courtesy Library of Congress/Historic American Buildings Survey.

Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site is made up of many different buildings, exhibits, and 

historic artifacts, all preserved and presented for you—the visitor. Here, we invite you to 

play the role of artist and historian, discovering and thinking about the past for public 

understanding. There are two spaces below. In the first, we invite you to draw your favorite thing here at the park and explain it. In the second, there are images of two historical flags and some brief questions to help you understand their meaning.

In this white space, draw or sketch the favorite thing you saw on your trip to Ford’s Theatre.

Down here, describe this favorite thing; what makes it special to you? What did you learn about/from it?

Union (United States) Flag, 1865

Question: How many stars are displayed on this flag?

Flags of the Civil War

Bonus: What do the stars stand for?

Question: How many stars are there on this flag?

Bonus: The American flag now has 50 stars. Why 

does the 1865 flag have fewer stars than today’s?

14

Confederate Battle Flag, 1865
What is a Park Ranger?

During your visit to Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site, you will meet people who are 

not here visiting; they work here as park rangers and volunteers. They are here to talk to 

you, other members of your group, and other visitors who come to the park about the 

amazing events that unfolded here and the history of the buildings you are visiting. 

Below are questions about Petersen House (where Lincoln died), located across the street 

from Ford’s Theatre. To answer the questions, speak with and listen to the park rangers 

and volunteers as you visit Petersen House. One will greet you at the entry door to the 

house (see background photo) and another will welcome you as you look at the rooms 

inside. They can answer any questions you have.

In this photo (background), Park Rangers and volunteers in period dress stand on the steps to Petersen House. 

Abraham Lincoln was carried up these same stairs the night of the assassination. Photo by NPS/Terry Adams.

Questions:

1. Why was Abraham Lincoln brought to Petersen House on the night of April 14, 1865?

2. How was Petersen House used before Lincoln died there? 

3. Was the furniture now in the house there that night? Where is Lincoln’s death bed now?

4. What does it say on the plaque (not the sign on the railing) at the front of the house?

Bonus Questions:

5. What two people used the rooms at the front of the house while Lincoln was there?

15

6. What man living in Petersen House called to the soldiers carrying Lincoln to bring him there?
What Did Lincoln’s Assassination Mean?

After Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s army surrendered to Union General Ulysses 

S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, many believed the Civil War had 

ended. Celebrations erupted across northern cities, and Washington D.C. put on light 

shows and fireworks (called “illuminations”) as part of the festivities. Reactions to the 

news differed. Five days later, Lincoln’s assassination at Ford’s Theatre drastically changed 

things. On these pages, you will be given quotes and images from people reacting to 

these two major events. Questions will then let you respond to each image or quote.

“After four years of arduous service, marked by unsurpassed 

courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been 

compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources... You 

each take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from [knowing] 

your duty [was] faithfully performed, and I pray that a merciful 

God will extended [sic] to you His blessing and protection.”

--- General Robert E. Lee, orders to his army after surrendering at 

Appomattox, April 9, 1865 [known as General Order(s) Number 9]

“During the drive [a carriage ride the Lincolns took] he was so gay, 

that I said to him, laughingly, ‘Dear husband, you almost startle 

me by your great cheerfulness,’ he replied, ‘and well I may feel so, 

Mary, I consider this day, the war, has come to a close’—and then 

added ‘We must both, be more cheerful in the future—between 

the war and the loss of our darling Willie [their son, who died in 

1862]—we have both been very miserable.’”

--- Mary Todd Lincoln, talking about her husband’s state of mind 

on the afternoon of April 14, 1865

Questions:

1. What does Mary Todd Lincoln say about Abraham Lincoln’s reaction to Appomattox? How 

does this compare to the response of people in the Union? How do you feel when you read it?

2. How does Robert E. Lee’s order reflect the Confederacy’s frame of mind after Appomattox? 

How does Lee show the feeling of the Confederate army? How do you feel reading the order?

16

This bust of Abraham Lincoln’s head (background) was created in 1965 by Carl Tolpo, a sculptor from Illinois. It 

can be seen today as you walk around the balcony (upper floor) of Ford’s Theatre. Photo by Michael Chornesky. 

Photos Courtesy NPS
What Did Lincoln’s Assassination Mean?

This Thomas Nast illustration appeared in the April 29, 1865 issue of Harper’s Weekly. 

The woman at Lincoln’s coffin is Lady Liberty (who was also the model for the Statue of 

Liberty). Image courtesy Library of Congress/Civil War Newspapers Collection.

Questions:

1. What does the Thomas Nast illustration say about the reaction of many people to Lincoln’s 

assassination? How does it compare to the response that followed Appomattox?

2. How does Jefferson Davis put his feelings about the Union President’s assassination? Is there 

anything surprising about what he writes? How else might former Confederates have reacted?

“For an enemy so relentless in the war for our subjugation, we could 

not be expected to mourn [the assassination of Abraham Lincoln]; yet, 

in view of its political consequences, it could not be regarded otherwise 

than as a great misfortune to the South.”

--- Jefferson Davis, writing of the violence that might come to former 

Confederate states and citizens in response to Lincoln’s assassination

17

Photo Courtesy NPS
Where Can I Learn More?

For more about Lincoln’s assassination, the Civil War, the National Park Service, Ford’s 

Theatre National Historic Site, Ford’s Theatre Society, and related subjects, please visit:

National Park Service Sites near Ford’s Theatre NHS (within walking distance):

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (on the Mall, two miles from Ford’s Theatre)

Korean War Veterans Memorial (on the Mall, two miles)

Lincoln Memorial (on the Mall, two miles)

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site (one mile)

Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site (less than one mile)

Jefferson Memorial (on the Mall, two miles)

Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial (on the Mall, two miles)

Washington Monument (on the Mall, less than one mile)

White House (less than one mile)

World War II Memorial (on the Mall, one mile)

Civil War-Related Sites Close to Ford’s Theatre (within driving distance):

National Museum of American History (Washington, D.C.; less than one mile south)

African-American Civil War Memorial (Washington, D.C.; two miles north)

President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Old Soldier’s Home (Washington, D.C.; four miles north)

Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial (Washington, D.C.; five miles southwest)

Manassas National Battlefield (33 miles west)

Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields National Military Park (53 miles south)

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (67 miles northwest)

Antietam National Battlefield (Sharpsburg, MD; 76 miles northwest from Ford’s Theatre)

Gettysburg National Military Park (85 miles north)

On the Internet (one mouse click away):

The National Park Service--- www.nps.gov

Webrangers--- www.nps.gov/webrangers

Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site--- www.nps.gov/foth

Ford’s Theatre Society--- www.fords.org

Library of Congress--- www.loc.gov

National Archives--- www.archives.gov

The Smithsonian Institution--- www.si.edu

Civil War and Lincoln Assassination Related Books:

Ford’s Theatre and the Lincoln Assassination, by Victoria Grieve and Eastern National

Abraham Lincoln for Kids and The Civil War for Kids, by Janis Herbert

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, by James Swanson

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, by Dennis Fradin

Pedestrians stroll by the front face of Ford’s Theatre on Tenth Street (background). Photo by Michael Chornesky.

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EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM

Please mail completed booklet to:

Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site

511 10th Street NW

Washington D.C., 20004

A night gaslit view of Ford’s Theatre. Gaslights were a major source of light in 1865. Photo by NPS/Terry Adams.