The primary sources in this unit will allow you to develop an understanding of the different perspectives on the battle of Gettysburg and analyze the value and limitations of a variety of sources describing the battle. At the end of the unit, you should be able to place the battle of Gettysburg within the context of the U.S. Civil War and the 1860s, and use this information to answer the unit’s central question: How did Americans interpret the battle of Gettysburg, and how did differences in their perspectives affect their depictions of the battle? Working with conflicting sources to develop your own understanding of the battle will give you practice with the historical skills of comparison, context, and interpretation.