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Essay / The Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War
We begin in the summer of 1863 in Gettysburg, then a small farming and trading town in the eastern state of Pennsylvania. On July 1, 2 and 3, two huge armies clashed at Gettysburg. They fought one of the most important battles of the American Civil War. Through this battle, Gettysburg became an extremely important part of American history. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Five months earlier, General Robert E. Lee had marched the Confederate Army of the South from Virginia to Pennsylvania. He went North in hopes of winning a major victory, one that could help the Confederate cause. The Southern states – where slavery was legal – were trying to form their own countries. They wanted the right to govern themselves. The Northern states did not want to let them leave the Union. Little Round Top, Cemetery Ridge, Devil's Den, Pickett's Charge… American history books are full of place names in and around Gettysburg where soldiers fought. These are the places where thousands of them died defending the idea of the United States of America. General Lee and the Confederate Army fought fiercely at the Battle of Gettysburg. But they were defeated. The Northern soldiers refused to break. Lee finally had to stop fighting. The Confederate army suffered heavy losses and was forced to return to the South. Many other battles would take place during the Civil War. Some were just as terrible as Gettysburg. Yet few people are remembered as well. Gettysburg was the largest and bloodiest battle ever fought on the North American continent. More than 3,000 Confederate soldiers were killed. Two thousand five hundred Union soldiers were killed. Several thousand people on both sides were injured. The terrible task of clearing the battlefield was given to the Union soldiers who had won the battle. Five months later, United States President Abraham Lincoln delivered his memorable speech at Gettysburg Cemetery. President Lincoln felt it was his duty to speak at the inauguration ceremony. He hoped his words could ease the grief caused by the loss of so many. He knew he needed to boost the morale of the nation. Let's imagine for a moment that it is November 19, 1863. It's cool. There are clouds in the sky. A huge crowd awaits the ceremony. Military bands play. It's almost noon. We arrived at Gettysburg Cemetery. Fifteen thousand people came to hear a famous speaker – Edward Everett – and President Abraham Lincoln. A prayer is said and Mr. Everett begins to speak. For two hours he speaks. He talks about ancient funeral ceremonies. He talks about how the young soldiers who died here should be honored. Finally, Edward Everett finishes. Moments later, a man stands up and announces: “Ladies and gentlemen, His Excellency, President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. » The president leaves his chair and walks forward slowly. He looks at the valley, then at the papers he holds in his hand. The huge crowd becomes silent. Abraham Lincoln begins to speak. “Eighty-seven years ago our fathers gave birth on this continent to a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. the war, testing whether this nation or any other nation so conceived and so devoted, can long endure. We find ourselves on a great battlefield of this war. “We have come to dedicate a.