Sic semper tyrannis means “thus always to tyrants.”

Question

Why did Booth shout this about Lincoln?

He thought the Confederacy had a right to secede.

He thought Lincoln would begin more wars to gain more power.

He thought both the Confederate leaders and Lincoln were dictators.

He thought Lincoln should have used more force to defeat the Confederacy.

The desperado [John Wilkes Booth] managed to escape from the house, and was prepared for escape by having a horse at the door. He immediately mounted the horse, and sung out the motto of the State of Virginia, "Sic Semper Tyrannis!" and rode off.

–New York Herald, April 15, 1865

Answer 1

John Wilkes Booth shouted "Sic semper tyrannis" after assassinating President Abraham Lincoln because he viewed Lincoln as a tyrant. Booth was a strong supporter of the Confederacy and believed that Lincoln's leadership was oppressive and dictatorial, particularly regarding his actions during the Civil War. By exclaiming this phrase, which translates to "thus always to tyrants," Booth expressed his belief that tyrants should meet a violent end. In his distorted view, Booth saw himself as a liberator of the South, taking a dramatic action against what he perceived as a tyrannical government. Therefore, the best answer to the question is:

He thought both the Confederate leaders and Lincoln were dictators.