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Battle of Gettysburg and Union

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Battle of Gettysburg and Union
The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the American Civil War. This is the most famous and important Civil War Battle that occurred on July 1st-3rd 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. More importantly Gettysburg was the clash between the two major American Cultures of their time: the North and the South. 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 labor of sharecroppers and slaves, charging high dues for 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 dictates. The Union economy was based on manufacturing, and even the minorities in the North were better off than those in the South most of the time. The Northern politicians wanted tariffs, and a large army. The Southern plantation owners wanted the exact opposite. The South was fighting against a government because they thought they were being treated unfair. An analysis of the Battle of Gettysburg reveals one challenge facing the Union and the Confederacy was unjustified taxes and slavery.
The battle began on July 1, 1863. The Battle of Gettysburg began when the Confederate cavalry ran into the Union horsemen. Both sides then called for backup. The Confederates’ back up arrived first; they now had twice as many men as the union. Soon after Union General John Reynolds arrived, he was shot in the back of the head and killed instantly. They confederates drove the Union south of town. Everyone set up for battle and waited until day two.
The excitement of the battle began on day two, July 2, 1863. By morning, 150 thousand Union and Confederate troops had joined at little Pennsylvania town. The Confederates occupied a line west of the Emmetsburg Road, along the Seminary Ridge. While the Union men waited along Cemetery Ridge. The union had an advantage because; Cemetery Ridge was a


Cited: "Battle of Gettysburg." Summary & Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012. <http://www.historynet.com/battle-of-gettysburg>. "Cemetery Hill." Gettysburg. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2012. <http://www.historynet.com/cemetery-hill>. "Cemetery Ridge." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History Online Cemetery Ridge Comments "Culp 's Hill." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History Online Culps Hill Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2012. <http://www.historynet.com/culps-hill>. "The Devil 's Den." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History Online The Devils Den Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012. <http://www.historynet.com/devils-den-gettysburg>. "The Gettysburg Address." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History Online The Gettysburg Address Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012. <http://www.historynet.com/the-gettysburg-address>. "Gettysburg Address Text." History Net Where History Comes Alive World US History Online Gettysburg Address Text Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. <http://www.historynet.com/gettysburg-address-text>. "Gettysburg Day Three." Battle of Gettysburg, Gettysburg Battle Summary, Gettysburg Address. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2012. <http://www.civilwaracademy.com/gettysburg-day-three.html>. "Little Round Top." Battle Summary & Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2012. <http://www.historynet.com/little-round-top>. "Pickett 's Charge." Pickett 's Charge. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2012. <http://www.historynet.com/picketts-charge-gettysburg>.
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