Lex Fridman · Conspiracy theory about assassination of Abraham Lincoln | Gary Gallagher and Lex Fridman

1. 1. Americans have long spun conspiracy theories about presidential assassinations, especially Lincoln's.
2. 2. A conspiracy theory, started by chemist Otto Eisenchiml, implicates Secretary of War Stanton and radical Republicans in Lincoln's assassination.
3. 3. Conspiracy theorists point to suspicious details: no guard on Lincoln, the only unguarded bridge Booth escaped across, and Grant's absence from the play.
4. 4. Grant didn't attend because Mrs. Grant disliked Mrs. Lincoln, not due to a conspiracy.
5. 5. People prefer conspiracy theories because random, catastrophic events are unsatisfying; a larger plot gives meaning.
6. 6. Lincoln's assassination was a random event: Booth, a familiar actor, exploited the lack of security and his knowledge of the theater.
7. 7. After the war, during the Grand Review of troops, Lincoln's absence was deeply felt; soldiers noted he should have been there.
8. 8. Lincoln's death likely altered Reconstruction; Gallagher believes it would have been smoother under his leadership.