July 1, 1863 - The Battle of Gettysburg Begins

On July 1, 1863 Union and Confederate forces brutally collided in the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg raged for three days, culminating in a retreat by Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Let SAFARI Montage resources help place this important military conflict in its historic context for your students as part of your Civil War lessons.

NEW!!! Gettysburg National Military Park – This content from Google Arts & Culture combines text, images and 360° interactive imagery to create a dynamic learning experience that provides information about Gettysburg National Military Park and the Battle of Gettysburg, the three-day battle that was the turning point of the Civil War, including day-by-day accounts of the battle, and views of the battlefields and monuments in the park. This title was part of the Google Expeditions project. Grades 3-Adult.

Gettysburg (A&E) – From executive producers Tony Scott and Ridley Scott comes a special about the battle that changed the course of the Civil War and the future of the United States. Abraham Lincoln's iconic Gettysburg Address frames this epic program commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The program looks at this battle from a visceral new perspective, that of the everyday soldiers who fought there, in a confrontation that changed the fate of our nation. Stripping away the romanticized veneer of past treatments, the program conveys new information and honors the sacrifice of those, both North and South, who fought and died there. As seen on the History Channel. Grades 7-Adult.

Lincoln@Gettysburg (PBS) – In 1863, Abraham Lincoln proved himself a master of a new frontier -- not on the battlefields of the Civil War, but in his ''high-tech'' command center, the War Department Telegraph Office. The telegraph was the Internet of the 19th century, and it gave Lincoln powers of command, communications and control never before exercised by a commander-in-chief. He used this new technology to connect the country to him -- receiving nearly live dispatches via telegraph from his generals in the field and sending out his plans for the nation faster and with more clarity than ever before. The results of Lincoln's pioneering experiment in electronic leadership would ultimately lead to the fields of Gettysburg. There, one battle turned the tide of the Civil War -- and became the setting for the 272 words of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, the speech that recast the American ideal as a national creed. Narrated by David Strathairn. Grades 6-Adult.

Ken Burns’ Civil War: The Universe of Battle (PBS) - The most-watched program in PBS history, Ken Burns' history of the Civil War is the first full-scale presentation of the conflict that tore the country apart and redefined the nation. This 5th episode takes place in 1863, and opens with a dramatic account of the turning point of war: the Battle of Gettysburg, the greatest ever fought in the Western Hemisphere. For three days 150,000 men will fight to the death in the Pennsylvania countryside, culminating in Pickett's legendary charge. This extended episode then goes on to chronicle the fall of Vicksburg, the New York draft riots, the first use of black troops, and the western battles at Chickamauga, Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee. The episode closes with the dedication of a new Union cemetery at Gettysburg in November, where Abraham Lincoln struggles to put into words what is happening to his people. Grades 7-Adult.

The Gettysburg Address (Principal Media) - This brief, 3-minute video clip discusses the speech given by President Abraham Lincoln at the dedication of Gettysburg National Cemetery on November 19, 1863.Grades 6-12.

Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln (Weston Woods) – Abraham Lincoln was a busy man. He had to run the country, win the war and look after his family. When asked to honor the soldiers who died in the great Battle of Gettysburg, President Lincoln made time to say a few words. Learn about this incredible man and the famous speech he wrote. Based on the book by Jean Fritz, illustrated by Charles Robinson. Grades 1-6.

The Civil War: Battle of Gettysburg - This web link from the Civil War Trust presents an animated interactive map about the Battle of Gettysburg (1863), including video about the battle, troop movement animations and a timeline of the battle. Grades 7-Adult.

The Civil War: Gettysburg (360 Battlefield Panorama) - This web link from the Civil War Trust presents a 360-degree interactive panorama of the Battle of Gettysburg (1863), featuring clickable details, photographs and videos. Grades 7-Adult.

The Gettysburg Address - This web link from Lit2Go presents a full audio reading and complete transcript of the speech President Abraham Lincoln delivered at the dedication of the Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on November 19, 1863. Grades 5-Adult.

Gettysburg Address (1863) - Perhaps the most famous battle of the Civil War took place at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, from July 1 to 3, 1863. At the end of the battle, the Union's Army of the Potomac had successfully repelled the second invasion of the North by the Confederacy's Army of Northern Virginia. Several months later, President Lincoln went to Gettysburg to speak at the dedication of the cemetery for the Union war dead. Speaking of a ''new birth of freedom,'' he delivered one of the most memorable speeches in American history. The Teacher's Guide contains the historical context and transcript of this milestone document in United States history. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration. Grades K-12.

Remembering Gettysburg: Lincoln and the Address - In this video from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, historian Matthew Pinsker, speaking on the grounds of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, discusses the magic and the origins of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Pinsker invokes the words of Daniel Webster and Sam Wilkeson, and explains what Lincoln had in mind when he wrote the famous ten sentences that have defined for generations of Americans the meaning and lessons of the battle as well as the higher purposes of the nation. Hosted on YouTube. Grades 7-Adult.

War for Freedom: Gettysburg - This PDF document contains over 40 pages of middle and high school lesson plans about African American experiences in the era of the Civil War, focusing on the war for freedom in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Courtesy of the National Park Service, Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania.