Destination Spotlight

Pennsylvania – Gettysburg

Experience the drama, tactics, and reality of the famous Civil War battle at Gettysburg where more men fell than in any other battle ever fought on American soil. Traveling to Gettysburg enriches students’ comprehension and understanding of the social experience of the war on the battlefield and throughout the country.

• Find out first-hand the hardships and challenges faced by soldiers, doctors, and civilians as they traverse the famous Gettysburg Battlefield where generals charged and men maneuvered.
• Examine real Civil War uniforms, bullets, guns, tents, and other historical artifacts at the Gettysburg Museum of Civil War.
• Develop a deeper understanding of troop movement throughout the battle through an electric map presentation.
• Explore the fields where the Battle of Gettysburg ended in early July, 1863 and see hundreds of cannons and monuments built in remembrance of the casualties among the Federal and Confederate soldiers who fought and died in Gettysburg.
• Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address comes to life as students honor Civil War soldiers buried in the Gettysburg National Cemetery.

Did you know:

• The first National Flag of the Confederacy was known as the “Stars and Bars.” It initially had seven stars, representing the original seven states to join the Confederacy (South Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and Texas).
• The battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest single battle of the Civil War, resulting in over 51,000 soldiers killed, wounded, captured, or missing.

Links:

Gettysburg Battlefield