The Battle Of Gettysburg: Turning Point Of The American Civil War

The battle at Gettysburg was a defining moment in the Civil War not only because of the battle itself, but what prevailed with civilian opposition, and the events that changed the trajectory of the battle.
The Confederate army invaded the North in the summer of 1863 in what would be the final attack. Plans were to attack Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and proceed to Philadelphia, then on to Washington D.C. while most of the battle was being fought in the eastern part of the Civil war occurred in Virginia, General Lee wanted to draw the armies out of Virginia so the state could have some time to recover from the substantial damage it had sustained throughout the war. Moving northward would allow the confederate forces to attain much needed supplies

and was the most famous and important Civil War Battle to occur over three days in July in the humble market town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Gettysburg was the confrontation between two major American Cultures the North and the South. The cause of the Civil war was the clash of these two cultures. The Confederacy had an agricultural economy producing tobacco, corn, and cotton, with many large plantations owned by a few very rich white males. These owners lived off the sweat of sharecroppers and slaves, charging high rates for the use of their land. The Southern or Confederate Army was made up of a group of white males fighting for their independence from federal northern mandate. The Union economy was based on manufacturing, and even the minorities in the North were better off than those in the

First, it was a turning point because it did away with any thoughts that President Lincoln might have had about making peace with the South. The Confederate vice president was, as the battle was raging, heading for Washington, D.C. to talk with the US government and peace might have been proposed. However, when Lincoln heard of the victory, he refused to let the vice president come to Washington. Second, and more importantly, the battle convinced European countries not to get involved. If a major European power such as England had recognized the Confederacy or, even worse, started to help the Confederate State militarily, the strategic image would have been greatly adapted and the US might have had to make peace. Finally, this battle was the first major defeat of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Up until that time, he was seen by many in the North and South as indestructible. His defeat was good for morale in the North and helped convince the North that the war could be