Chasing Lincolns Killer by James Swanson Journal Writing

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer by James Swanson Journal Writing, Questions, and Vocabulary for Chapters

Prologue pp. 1 -8 Journal: Have you ever had your photograph taken with someone famous? Would you want your photo taken with the President? 1. Describe John Wilkes Booth from the photograph on page 3. 2. Why, do you think, photographs were taken of the inauguration? 3. Describe the mood of the people in the North at this time. 4. With what part of Lincoln’s speech did Booth disagree? 5. What was the “Grand Illumination”? What event was being celebrated? Vocabulary: inauguration (1) adversaries (7) illuminate (7) delirious (8)

Chapter 1 pp. 9 -32 Journal: Describe a parade you saw or were in. 6. What was Booth’s mood on April 14 th? 7. What was the cause of this mood? 8. What was Lincoln’s mood on April 14 th? 9. What unusual objects did Booth carry with him that night? 10. As a famous actor, Booth was “instantly recognizable. ” Would this help or hinder his plans? Explain. Vocabulary: vain (10) proprietors (11) partition (11) urgent (14) concealment (16) hostage(23) henchmen (24) notorious (27) implicated (27) quirks (29)

Chapter 2 pp. 33 -45 Journal: What is your worst fear? 11. How did Booth’s personal knowledge of theatre help him? 12. Who was in the President’s box that night? 13. What thoughts, do you think, were going through Booth’s mind? 14. Why did Booth wait until a particular part of the play to carry out his plan? 15. What is the importance of the words Booth shouted from the stage? (p. 43) Vocabulary: dialogue (33) vestibule (35) lurid (38) corny (39) farfetched (41) creased (41) impact (41) startle (41)

Chapter 3 pp. 46 -59 Journal: What might make you stop in fear or dread? 16. Describe the 3 challenges or problems Powell faced in his task of assassinating Seward? 17. What was Powell’s plan? What could possibly go wrong with his plan? 18. What could have happened if Powell’s gun had not misfired? 19. What did Powell mean when he said, “I’m mad!” Vocabulary: suffocated (46) confidants (46) elite (47) pedestrians (48) deception(48) aliases (50) prop (51) suspicion (51) muzzle (53) hideous (53) gazette (57

Chapter 4 pp. 60 -77 Journal: In what ways are you different from most other people? 20. Why didn’t more people chase Booth? 21. In what ways did Booth have to “perform” during his escape? 22. What was the mood of the crowd inside Ford’s Theatre? 23. How would you describe Major Rathbone’s request to be treated first, before the President? 24. What procedure did Dr. Leale perform on Lincoln? (p. 68) 25. Why was it urgent to move the President to another location? Vocabulary: pursuers (65) viciously (65) fiancé (66) vengeance (66) unconscious (67) coagulated (68) stabilize (68) rambling (69) accomplice (70) hypnotized (72) oblivion (73) gouged (73)

Chapter 5 pp. 78 -100 Journal: Write about someone you know that served in the military. 26. Compare/contrast how news travels today to that during the Civil War? 27. What kind of man was Edwin Stanton? Explain using examples from the book. 28. Why was the Army worried about vigilantes? (p. 90) 29. Originally, Booth had planned to kidnap Lincoln. Why? (p. 95) Vocabulary: inferno (79) mayhem (81) saturated (82) grotesque (86) rampaging (90) vigilantes (90) eerily (92) negotiations (95) vouching (96) improvised (97) tinker (98)

Chapter 6 pp. 101 -114 Journal: Tell about a lucky event that may have saved your life. 30. Why did Stanton cut off a lock of Lincoln’s hair? Explain this custom. 31. Contrast the moods of Dr. Mudd and Booth at the news of the successful assassination of Lincoln. (pp. 112 -113) 32. The manhunt took place in April. How could the spring season affect Booth and the men searching for him? Vocabulary: deterioration (101) respiration (102) pulse (102) autopsy (109) morbid (109) whereabouts (113)

Chapter 7 pp. 115 -129 Journal: Write about the worst injury you have ever had. 33. Why is it important to preserve a crime scene? 34. What change in plans did Thomas Jones suggest to Booth and Herold and why? (pp. 121 -122) 35. Compare and contrast the newspaper page shown on p. 123 to a modern newspaper front page. 36. Describe the evidence that had been collected to prove Booth and his coconspirators were involved. Vocabulary: ferried (118) evacuated (119) vowed (121) maneuvered (122) secondhand (124) cavalry (124) hoist (127) vulnerable (128)

Chapter 8 pp. 130 -136 Journal: Tell about a time you helped a stranger. 37. How was Mary Surratt involved in the assassination? (pg 133 - 134) 38. What evidence was found in the boardinghouse? (133) 39. Explain and elaborate: “Stanton had a war to finish. ” (p. 135) Vocabulary ( Use Context clues) formidable (133) interrogator(133) confiscated (135) cadavers (135) dragnet (135)

Chapter 9 pp. 137 -143 40. Booth noticed a change in attitude toward Lincoln after his death. Explain. (138) 41. Why do you think Booth wrote a letter explaining the assassination? (139) 42. Describe Lincoln’s funeral procession. (140 - 141) 43. What information did Atzerodt give to the soldiers? (143) 44. Why do you think Atzerodt surrendered without a fight? Vocabulary: cowering (136) trademark (137) fugitives (137) jeopardize (137) heinous (138) concoct (139) jostled (140) martyred (143)

Chapter 10 pp. 144 -150 Journal: Describe the best meal you have ever had. 45. What mistake did Booth and Herold make? 46. Why was it so important to Booth to reach Virginia? 47. It is now April 21 st. How long have Booth and Herold been on the run? Vocabulary: shallows (146) tarried (150)

Chapter 11 pp. 151 -177 Journal: Tell of a time when you pretended to be someone else. 48. Not everyone was willing to help Booth and Herold in their escape. Give two examples and write your opinion as to why this occurred. 49. What do you think motivated Colonel Baker in his search for Booth? (p. 157) 50. Which river did the men cross and what was their destination? Why was Booth so happy to arrive there? 51. What made John Garrett suspicious of Booth? 52. Why was it so difficult for Booth and Herold to obtain horses? 53. Describe a tobacco barn and how it was used. 54. Why did the Garrett brothers lock Booth and Herold into the tobacco barn? 55. Describe how Booth’s final moments in the tobacco barn were his “final and greatest performance”. 56. Why did Booth choose to die instead of give himself up? 57. What do you think Booth meant by “Useless, useless”? Vocabulary: pungent (152) quenched (153) skeptically (154) notorious (156) deceitful (156) egotistical (156) masquerading (159) agitated (160) treachery (163) suspicious (164) proprietor (164) scampered (165) ultimatum (167) frisked (168)

Chapter 12 pp. 180 -181 Journal: Give your opinion as to why newspapers often report the bad news and not good news. 58. How was Booth’s body transported back to Washington? 59. Why was a false burial arranged? 60. Why was the location of Booth’s body kept secret? Journal: Do you think rewards for information should be offered? 61. Why do you think the conspirators were held prisoner aboard ships? 62. What happened to Boston Corbett? 63. Why do you think more photographs were taken of Powell than the others?

Chapter 14 pp. 187 -189 Epilogue pp. 190 -194 Journal: Do you support the death penalty? Support your answer. Journal: Who is the hero of this story? 64. What preparations were made for the condemned conspirators? 65. Describe wrist irons. (p. 185) 66. What happened to Ford’s Theatre? 67. The author states that “Booth was a failure. ” Do you agree or disagree and give reasons to support your opinion. Vocabulary: nooses (189)