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Overview

In this experience, students examine why the July 1863 battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg are considered turning points in the Civil War. First, students briefly review what historians mean by a turning point and the kinds of changes that can signal a shift in a war. Next, students explore the state of the Civil War in early 1863 to understand why the Confederacy appeared to have the advantage before July. Then, students analyze the outcomes of Gettysburg and Vicksburg and discuss why those outcomes, taken together, marked a turning point in the war. Finally, the Elaborate scene invites students to investigate other possible turning points and consider how historians evaluate significance and why interpretations of turning points can differ.

Estimated Duration: 45–60 minutes

Vocabulary Words and Definitions

The Gettysburg Address: a famous speech given by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 at the dedication of a cemetery to honor soldiers who died fighting in the Civil War
ironclad: a type of 19th century warship covered with iron armor that protected it from enemy fire and made it stronger than wooden ships

Objectives:

Identify which side held the advantage in the Civil War in early 1863
Explain why the Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg are considered turning points in the Civil War

In this wide landscape painting, a long line of Union soldiers in dark blue uniforms kneels and stands in a grassy field while firing their rifles into a thick bank of white smoke. A central soldier stands tall and holds a large American flag aloft, while several fallen men lie in the grass in the foreground, and a distant house is visible through the haze of battle.

The first day of the Battle of Gettysburg

Conflicts often include moments that historians later describe as turning points. These moments stand out when looking back on the overall course of a conflict, even though they may not have seemed important at the time. Identifying turning points helps historians organize events and explain how a conflict developed over time.

Think about what factors historians might use to identify a turning point in a conflict, and then add one or two ideas to the class list.

When reviewing the class list, guide attention to ideas that appear more than once or are closely related. Use those shared responses to press students’ thinking about historical judgment. Ask: Which ideas seem to come up most often in our list? and Why might historians pay attention to those kinds of factors when deciding if something is a turning point? Follow up by asking: What does that factor help historians notice or measure about a war?

Then, shift the conversation toward why these criteria matter for understanding significance. Ask: How do these ideas help explain why some moments change the direction of a conflict while others do not? and What do these factors help historians explain about what came before and what came after a turning point? Encourage students to think about how turning points help historians make sense of change over time, rather than simply labeling moments as important.

In this experience, you will learn how the balance of power in the Civil War changed in 1863 and why the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg are seen as key moments that shifted momentum and influenced the war’s outcome.

Objectives:

Identify which side held the advantage in the Civil War in early 1863
Explain why the Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg are considered turning points in the Civil War

When everyone is ready to continue, unlock the next scene.

Turning Points in the War