'Manhunt,' about hunt for John Wilkes Booth, may make you wish you paid attention in history class

may make you wish you paid attention in history class

Strange assumption that everywhere in the world included U.S. history in it's history curriculum.

I did a JWB reality tour many years ago. Shocking what was done to the collaborators but it was a different time.

There were also rumors that Booth had actually escaped and survived out West. His so-called remains were so badly burned that any positive identification would've been next to impossible and Booth's remains were never photographed. That's rather strange in itself because they used to photograph infamous gun slingers and badmen who had died back in the day. All of the other conspirators involved with Booth were photographed after the assassination of Lincoln, but not Booth. Also, John Wilkes Booth was buried in an unmarked grave, was he not? Thus, his presumed corpse was buried in secret so there is no DNA evidence to turn to in order to positively verify his remains. However, it does make sense that the authorities would've wanted this story to go away as quickly as possible at the time considering how deeply loved Lincoln was in the North, but certainly not in the South. Is it possible that Booth slipped away through the cracks with the help of Southern sympathizers and disappeared into the vastness of American frontier.

All of the history in this article was taught in my junior high US history class and unlike the headline and creator- showrunner Monica Beletsky, I paid attention.

After all the carnage and hurt produced by the conflict between the states it was only natural for Lincoln to have a target on his back and likewise for the US government to want to bury the story of the revenge exacted for the assassination and erase Booth from the nation's memory, a sordid story deemed unsuitable for school children. Only with the distance of the years could this story be dramatized and now we have it at last. There is surely more to be mined from this rich vein of history to make a big movie out of this "Shakespearean" political drama of "sic semper tyrannis".

From AP in NEW YORK, so, yes, it's in the US-centric perspective.

Democrat assassin. Little has changed.

Something skipped history class.

JWB lamented Lincoln's abolition of slavery.

Sounds suspiciously similar.

https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-media-slavery-cultures-donald-trump-afdfa0b3454d5a7fdf544158ee1f5e1f

Booth's corpse was photographed but the copies of the glass plates and paper prints vanished. Stanton had ordered it and Alexander Gardner took the picture. Harper's Weekly had a woodcut of one of the images.

Booth is buried in Greenmount Cemetery in Baltimore as his brother Edwin asked President Johnson permission for a reburial. Johnson allowed it. People put pennies on the grave.

@factchecker

Most democratic places in the world do include US history in their world history curriculum. Most kids just don’t pay attention. And in the US kids have to learn about French enlightenment philosophers and don’t pay much attention either.

But John Wilkes Booth being on the run for 12 days after shooting Lincoln should be common knowledge in the US. The more exact details of the search are not clearly explained in public schools though. At least when I was a kid.

The Lincolns invited Booth to the White House on at least one occasion but Booth declined.

u_s__reamerToday 09:48 am JST

After all the carnage and hurt produced by the conflict between the states it was only natural for Lincoln to have a target on his back and likewise for the US government to want to bury the story of the revenge exacted for the assassination and erase Booth from the nation's memory, a sordid story deemed unsuitable for school children. Only with the distance of the years could this story be dramatized and now we have it at last. There is surely more to be mined from this rich vein of history to make a big movie out of this "Shakespearean" political drama of "sic semper tyrannis".

No one reputable honors the Confederacy anymore. You may, however...

The assumption that History is centered in US is kind of Imperialistic stand isnt it?....

I really care very little about Bolivar's love interests, yet that apparenlty that was very important...., I did payed attention to history class, but the part about Lincon was a brief mention.... Though the part about Simon Bolivar was extensive to exhaustion.....

I was also tought about Japanese history, my favorite shogun of the time was Takeda Shingen.... but i kind of wonder why the time to teach previous eras (Azuchi momoyama, Asuka, etc.) was so short.

That is to show, that what is thought in history depends heavily on where you are and what kind of culture you are living in.

The assumption that History is centered in US is kind of Imperialistic stand isnt it?....

Since Lincoln was an American president, it should be no surprise that this film/topic is US-centric. How is that "Imperialistic"? Do tell.

The previous film about Lincoln ("Lincoln") was broadly panned especially by actual historians, both pro-Lincoln and anti-Lincoln as it was based on a very poorly written novel, not even a historical book.

Hopefully this one is a bit better. The other one was unwatchable.

Maybe not much of a Japan connection but..... When Lincoln was shot, Stanton immediately contacted friend and Ohio Congressman John Bingham to serve as only civilian prosecutor in the trial of Lincoln assassins. Bingham was later appointed by President Grant to be senior American diplomat to Japan (in those days the position was minister. The position was upgraded to ambassador in the early 20th century.). Bingham served 4 presidents: Grant, Hayes, Garfield and Arthur. Bingham is the longest serving American minister/ambassador to Japan, 1873-85. If you're interested you can check out my book about Bingham's significant service in Japan, Of One Blood All Nations.

Most democratic places in the world do include US history in their world history curriculum.   

Wasn't taught in commonwealth countries - Canada and other US neighbours aside. The story is of interest, though the premise that US history is more well known or importance than any other is plain wrong.

“We weren’t taught that in school” is a common refrain. Of course we weren’t. School isn’t only about the study of history. There are many areas to study.

Most people do much of their learning after leaving school. You can learn until you keel over.

Knew all of that already. I have always despised that virulent racist and segregationist (Booth) and all the Confederates. It's a terrible part of American history and they were all traitors who were on the evil side and lost. A lot of their descendants still haven't gotten over that.

In Ken Burns: The Civil War historian Shelby Foote describes the capture of Booth and his shooting. Foote wrote the 3 volume The Civil War which is also details the facts. If you can get through all 3 volumes much about the Civil War is detailed beyond school history. Booth was shot (against orders) and was paralysed from the neck down. He lived approximately 20 minutes and shortly before he died he asked that his arms be lifted so he could see his hands. "Worthless. Worthless." he said and died minutes later. That's something the film should show.

I guess of that happened today, Booth would end up being pardoned and might even run for office himself.

MocheakeMar. 16  01:35 am JST

Knew all of that already. I have always despised that virulent racist and segregationist (Booth) and all the Confederates. It's a terrible part of American history and they were all traitors who were on the evil side and lost. A lot of their descendants still haven't gotten over that.

Their descendants became MAGA cult followers. Look at what those Klansmen, neo-Nazis, neo-Confederates, militia cruds did at Charlottenburg in 2017. Diaper Don called them 'good honest patriots'.

And it was the same trash that followed trump's screams to 'LIBERATE!' one month into the Covid lockdown. And the same trash that stormed the Capitol on J6.

Joe said that they were 'insurrectionists, terrorists, Klansmen, neo-Nazis, neo-Confederates, anti-Semites, xenophobes, militia cruds' that night. You don't need to be a genius to see that.

We are watching the series but I am undecided about what I think.