The American Civil War is one of the defining moments in United States History. It was a war to defend a government with a strong central power and limited authority of members (federation) versus a limited central power with strong member authority (confederation).

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania supported preservation of the Federal Government and the Union it represented. When the fighting began in 1861 and in the years that followed Pennsylvania sent men for the armies and navy, provided political leaders, and manufactured equipment and technology for use in the war. Geographic location and abundance of natural and manufactured goods made Pennsylvania a key player and target in the war effort.

Pennsylvania became the site of a critical juncture of the war. The battle with the greatest human casualties on American soil was fought on 25 square miles inside the Pennsylvania-Maryland border. On July 1, 2, and 3, 1863 over 158,000 soldiers met at the small rural town of Gettysburg, where 2,400 residents lived their daily lives. The armies withdrew on July 4th leaving 51,000 dead and wounded men in the care of the citizens and a landscape changed from agriculture to devastation.

On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln dedicated the cemetery honoring the hallowed ground of Gettysburg, “The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” To this end, Pennsylvania enters the 150th anniversary year of this battle with educational resources to assist educators in this remembrance task. Please use the links below to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Gettysburg 1863.