Which assassination affected the country more? Why?

Question:1. Abraham Lincoln
2. John F. Kennedy
3. Martin Luther King Jr.
4. John Lennon

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: 1. Abraham Lincoln
2. John F. Kennedy
3. Martin Luther King Jr.
4. John Lennon

I've lived through the last three and the one that appeared to have the most impact was JFK's. He was seen as the new "bright young thing" and symbolised the country. His death seemed to lead to a period of introspection in the USA, whereas before the country had been confident and outgoing.

I believe it was Abe Lincoln, hands down. The strife that was happeninf (that he was trying to protect) was happening in our own backyards. It was more than "Give peace a chance" or "I have a dream", and certainly more than a Cold War and promise to reach the moon by the end of the decade. Not to say that the other people didn't do important things too, but, its ABE all the way!

2. Kennedy was getting ready to buck the power money system and try to put this country on a course of actual democracy, not the corrupted military industrial complex we have today as a result of of his murder. Lincoln was assassinated by a bigot, not the CIA. (you always now it is a CIA job, because it is a head shot to a political icon that expressed change for the common people). Oh crap!!! Lincoln was shot in the head too. Well goes to show, if you take power and money from some people, they'll pop a cap in your ***.

would say Lincoln of the 4 you listed. if Lincoln hadn't been assassinated then the Southern States would have been welcomed back into the Union without the vindictive attitude of the Northern States.

you should have mentioned in your list the other two U.S. Presidents who were assassinated. these were McKinley and Garfield.

Probably JFK - because this was the first mass media assassination event, and so many people heard so fast - coupled with the fact that everyone thought for a moment that the Russians were invading.

well, being as I am canadian and only 17, it would have to be John Lennon for me, EVERYONE loved the beatles, and this not only affected people in America, but around the whole planet. John Lennon was seen as a man of peace, he was a figure of activism, he was a role model, front man and brain of the Beatles, the most well known rock group int he world. So in my perspective, I believe that it was John Lennon

Lincoln - without question. The assassination of Lincoln completely changed the course of US history, including the decades of reconstruction. Had Lincoln not been killed he would have fought for (and I think won) a much more lenient Reconstruction plan, and the entire south would have been transformed into a different one than emerged from the Civil War.

Although Lincoln was reviled throughout the war, and had popularity that was much worse than any other President - including the current one - once the war ended he became a savior of sorts, and that 180 degree turn in popularity would have given him great power to push his "quick return" plan for the southern states.