The Battle of Gettysburg

If there was a decisive battle in the American Civil war it was at Gettysburg. Had the Confederate side won there, it is likely that the Union government under Abraham Lincoln would have faced unstoppable pressure to seek a negotiated peace with the Confederacy. It is also likely that foreign nations would have been much more willing to aid the Confederacy. However, once the Confederate forces had to accept defeat and return to Virginia, the end result of the war was no longer in doubt, the only question was how long it would take. In this book Burgan explains the entire context for this climactic battle, including the fact that it was largely an accident rather than the consequence of a set plan. Small Confederate forces went to the town of Gettysburg looking to acquire shoes, yet once the shooting started, both sides did not hesitate to pour their forces into the battle. The explanations of the battle are told in a way that is complete and at the level of the elementary school student. Any study of the American Civil War must include coverage of the battle of Gettysburg and given the sound coverage in this book, it is an excellent resource for the study of history in American elementary schools.

The battle of Gettysburg is presented in a graphic format. I like this book because it does clarify Gettysburg for my students learning English and learning American history at the same time. It helps.