It was seen that way for several reasons. And yet, people did perceive that this was an important conflict. That sounds to us not only risky, but incredible. So even while the shooting was still in progress, people were already making a pilgrimage to the battlefield. In fact, the third day of the battle had not yet reached its completion when the first tourists to the battlefield showed up. Allen Guelzo: People understood the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg almost before it was finished. In your book Gettysburg: The Last Invasion, you claimed that contemporary Americans realized they had just experienced “something worth dying to protect, something worth communicating to the living.”ĭr. Howard Muncy: I would like to begin with your thoughts on how Gettysburg emerged as an important American symbol in the immediate aftermath of the battle. Allen Guelzo to explore this enduring legacy. Historically, the hallowed ground of Gettysburg has offered important lessons of the past, present, and future to many generations of Americans. Current discussions surrounding race and social justice have once again drawn the nation’s attention to the stain of slavery, the history of the Civil War, and many other peripheral issues, such as monuments and war memory. Across the nation, protests connected to the violent deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor have also sparked another form of unrest for an already anxious country.

But as with so many other events, the Covid-19 pandemic has either altered or canceled those plans in 2020. Tourists, reenactors, and history enthusiasts annually converge at Gettysburg for the first three days of July to honor the historic 1863 battle.

Guelzo gettysburg