Gettysburg Address Dbq Analysis

The Gettysburg campaign (several related operations aimed at subduing the Union) was the Confederacy’s last ditch attempt to turn the war in their favor. Although the history books now tell us that Lee’s army failed and were forced from the deep North never to return that far ever again (Doc A), we lest not forget an alternative scenario in which Lee’s army won. Had this scenario occurred, then the North would be on the ropes, as the Confederacy would not cease to capture everything that belonged to the North. It is worth mentioning that in addition to the superior tactics of General Meade’s Army, the contributions of President Lincoln cannot be overlooked. With a newfound strategy in place called the Anaconda Plan, the North hoped to suffocate (thus the plan’s name) the Confederacy. The …show more content…
Therefore, it is crucial that morale is simultaneously protected and kindled. This important facet of war was something that the Confederacy overlooked. To illustrate this point, consider General Robert E. Lee’s letter to Confederate President Jefferson on August 8, 1863 wherein Lee informs the President that it would be impossible for the South to win and that he was planning to resign from his position. About three months later, President of the Union Abraham Lincoln gave an infamous speech called the Gettysburg Address, in which leveraged the North’s morale at Gettysburg to heal the currently broken nation. Despite having the latitude to gloat about the North’s superiority, Lincoln took the high road and delivered a somber speech that was filled with hope and determination.
In summary, the Battle of Gettysburg was indeed a major turning point within the war as it was the catalyst for the Confederacy’s downfall. However, its relevance and merit would be greatly diminished if not for three reasons – superior planning of the Union Armies, the number of casualties on both sides, and the waning morale of the