2021 · American Civil War

Unforgiven: The Lincoln Assassination Trial

A two-player courtroom duel that recreates the May–June 1865 military trial of Mary Surratt for conspiracy in President Lincoln’s assassination. One player takes the prosecution and one the defense; both seek to sway a nine-panel jury by building a persuasive case. Players draft and play cards to present evidence, influence individual jurors, and develop lines of argument while managing courtroom dynamics and limited resources. Victory comes from convincing a majority of jurors to vote guilty or not guilty by the trial’s conclusion, reflecting the historical tension between legal process and public vengeance.

groupPlayers

2

schedulePlaying time

30 min

cakeAge

13+

psychologyComplexity

2.5 / 5