Battle of Gettysburg
On July 1, 1863, fighting erupted between the United States (Union) and Confederate armies west of Gettysburg. By afternoon, the strife reached the back door of the Seminary building. Who were the men who clashed on these fields? What brought them to make war on each other at Gettysburg and beyond? Lessons explore these questions and provide students with a deeper perspective on the soldier experience.
Virtual Interactive Lessons
Google Slides, PDF Lesson Plans, and ThingLink
African Americans and the Confederate Invasion
Explore the Gettysburg Campaign’s effects on the home front, the Confederate military’s capture and enslavement of free Black residents in Pennsylvania, and historical accounts written by and about underrepresented communities.
Geometry on July 1 at Gettysburg
Work with geometric shapes, lines, and angles to explore the Battle of Gettysburg through topography, weaponry, engineering, and more, providing an interdisciplinary means by which to go beyond traditional historical resources to understand the past.
The Leadership of General John Reynolds
Explore the life and career of Maj. Gen. John Reynolds, a popular United States Army officer who was both a trusted leader and prone to controversy. View a series of four videos and answer open-ended follow-up questions about the value of leadership.
Making Sense of the Gettysburg Address
Explore the motivations and realities behind Abraham Lincoln’s legendary Gettysburg Address, the costly battle that precipitated his words, the poetry and prose of this classic oration, and the larger topics that the 16th president voiced throughout.
Math on July 1 at Gettysburg
Work with numbers to explore the Battle of Gettysburg through troops, casualties, ammunition, engineering, and logistics, providing an interdisciplinary means by which to go beyond traditional historical resources to understand the past.
Stay tuned! We are currently updating our Virtual Interactive Lessons for summer and fall 2023.
Virtual Museum Experiences
ThingLink walkthroughs of Museum exhibits
We Have Come to Stay - Gettysburg: The Campaign
Investigate the events of June and July 1863 in and around Gettysburg, as United States and Confederate armies converged, fought, and maneuvered away from south-central Pennsylvania during the third summer of the American Civil War.
We Have Come to Stay - Gettysburg: The Community
Understand day-to-day life in and around downtown Gettysburg in the summer of 1863, as 2,400 residents, their homes, and local schools and businesses prepared to be at the center of a looming Civil War battle.
Morning - July 1, 1863
Explore the opening hours of the Battle of Gettysburg, as United States and Confederate forces converged west of the Lutheran Seminary, leading to fierce fighting and the death of the highest-ranking officer on the battlefield.
Mid-Day - July 1, 1863
Discover the late morning and early afternoon fighting that surrounded Gettysburg, as more troops arrived on the battlefield for both armies, leading to the escalation of combat to the west and to the north.
Afternoon - July 1, 1863
Join the fight in the Gettysburg Plains north of town, and on Seminary Ridge to the west, as battle raged in the Lutheran Seminary’s backyard, causing the Confederate capture of—and U.S. retreat from—Seminary Ridge.
Nightfall - July 1, 1863
Follow the Confederate army’s progress in holding the Seminary and advancing through Gettysburg, as United States soldiers retreated beyond the town following nearly ten hours of severe combat on the first day of the battle.
Corroborating Primary Sources
ThingLink explorations of firsthand historical accounts
Buford Meets Reynolds
Explore the famous meeting between John Buford and John Reynolds, a pair of United States generals whose conversation on the morning of July 1, 1863, set into motion the Battle of Gettysburg—though, as you’ll see, seven eyewitnesses disagreed on many details of this momentous event.
Jerome Alerts Howard
Follow firsthand accounts written by six eyewitnesses—ranging from a U.S. Signal Corps lieutenant to a U.S. Army major general—to describe the events of the afternoon of July 1, 1863, each confirming what the others observed as Confederates launched their fateful attack north of Gettysburg.
“Lizzie” Chritzman’s Secret Surgical Kit
Interact with a postwar newspaper story that describes the work of local heroine Elizabeth “Lizzie” Chritzman, who reportedly smuggled a Gettysburg physician’s surgical kit behind Confederate lines so that U.S. Army doctors could perform life-saving surgeries at the Seminary Hospital.
Educational Videos
On the Ridge: R.K. Beecham, An Abolitionist in the Iron Brigade
Beyond the Ridge: Caledonia
Beyond the Ridge: Lt. Aaron Jerome in the U.S. Navy
Beyond the Ridge: Wrightsville
Beyond the Ridge: Gettysburg and the Start of the Civil War
Beyond the Ridge: Hanover Junction
Beyond the Ridge: Rail Traffic after the Battle of Gettysburg
Beyond the Ridge: Fairfield
Beyond the Ridge: Heidlersburg
Beyond the Ridge: Sachs Bridge
Beyond the Ridge: Occupation
of York
Final Attack Walking Tour, Part I
Final Attack Walking Tour, Part II
Final Attack Walking Tour, Part III
Gettysburg 157th Live: Buford and Jerome in the Cupola
Gettysburg 157th Live: Eve of Battle
