Gettysburg Dbq

Three Brutal Days Some people may ask the question: “Why was the Battle of Gettysburg considered the turning point of the Civil War?”. People wonder what reasons and evidence there is to prove this idea of the battle. The Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 was a turning point of the Civil War because of how the south got discouraged, hardship set in, and the union gained momentum overall. One reason the Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point of the Civil War is how the south got discouraged. According to Document A, after 1863 (the battle), the Confederates didn’t travel north anymore. The violence and destruction of Gettysburg discouraged them and made them lose their confidence. They no longer thought they were able to go into the North to fight. According to Document B, 20,000-25,000 Confederates were killed during the battle. Compared to the Union, they had many more deaths and wounded men. The Union had 23,040 deaths, but had much more men left than the Confederates. This toll on the Confederacy made them realize they had almost no hope for the rest of the war. This negative mentality added to the significance of this Civil War turning point. Another reason the Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point of the Civil War was how much hardship set in. According to Document C, many generals were killed. In the letters between Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis, it was mentioned that General Barksdale was killed, some generals were missing, and others were severely wounded. This had to have created a very depressing mood among the troops. They had lost many important leaders and were experiencing a hard time. Also, hardship set in when Robert E. Lee began to doubt himself and his leadership position. Lee stated, “no one is more aware than myself of my inability for the duties of my position.” (Document C). This shows how Lee was beginning to realize the hardship that the Confederates were going through. The Confederacy was falling hard with many leadership problems that led them to the mentality of failure. This has significance in showing how this side of the war felt and how it was a major turning point for the North to succeed. The Union’s gain in momentum was also another example of how the Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War. The Gettysburg Address, written and given by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863, honored the soldiers that passed away in the battles. (Document D). Lincoln realized what great effect and impact it had on the country. The Gettysburg Address was a speech that moved people, especially because of his line that states, “these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.” (Document D). This gave people, especially people of the Union, great hope for their futures. They gained momentum and realized that they had a large chance in winning the Civil War. Because of these large impacts created by the Battle of Gettysburg, it was a big turning point in the Civil War. The Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 was a turning point of the Civil War because of how the south got discouraged, hardship set in, and the union gained momentum overall.