Special Sub-Topic: Presidential Assassins Click Here To Play: Presidential Assassins

Richard Lawrence was one of the first people (if not the first) to attempt to kill a president. Which president was his target?

Andrew Jackson. He used a pistol; it misfired.

Leon Czolgosz shot President McKinley. Where was his gun concealed?

His bandaged hand. It worked. Back in those days, who would suspect a bandage? The bandage was a handkerchief.

Giuseppe Zangara tried to assassinate FDR. He failed - but killed another politician in the process. Who was the victim?

A mayor. Mayor Anton Cermak of Chicago was with the president and became the uinintended, unfortunate victim.

Theodore Roosevelt was also the target of a would-be assassin. Who was he?

John Schrank. Guiteau shot President Garfield. If this plot had succeeded, it would have been an extraordinary time in American history: Roosevelt had ascended to the presidency when President McKinley was assassinated. Hinckley shot at President Reagan. Ray is the convicted assassin of Martin Luther King.

Which president was the target of two attempted assassinations within a short period of time?

Gerald Ford. Sara Jane Moore and Lynette ("Squeaky")Fromme both took shots at Ford within weeks of one another.

Which statement was made by John Wilkes Booth after the assassination of Lincoln?

All of these ("Useless, useless", "Tell my mother I died for my country", "I can never repent it, though we hated to kill"). "Useless" was said as Booth lay dying: did it refer to his body (with a spine severed by a bullet) or to the whole assassination conspiracy? He also made the "mother" comment in his last moments. The "repent" comment was in the diary that Booth made while on the run.

Arthur Bremer shot presidential candidate George Wallace. Apparently, he also stalked another political figure. Who?

Richard Nixon. Apparently, he also stalked Nixon.

Sirhan Sirhan shot presidential candidate Robert Kennedy. What did he state as his motive?

Political. He said more than once: "I did it for my country".

Most would-be assassins have used some form of pistol or handgun. Who did not?

Lee Harvey Oswald. If you believe that Oswald shot John Kennedy, you must also accept the idea that he did it from the "sniper's nest" in the Texas School Depository while using a cheap rifle (and while making several difficult shots at great speed).

Which assassin lived for the shortest period of time after committing his crime?

Lee Harvey Oswald. Oswald was killed by Jack Ruby on the weekend immediately following the (Friday) shooting of JFK. Booth managed to survive for a few weeks while fleeing and hiding.