Gambling Sparks Battle at Civil War Site

A proposed casino, which would be called the Gettysburg Gaming Resort and Spa, would likely include about 3,000 slot machines, plus hotel rooms, restaurants, etc.

Previously, Pennsylvania had banned such gambling establishments. But a law passed in 2004 will allow as many as 61,000 slot machines to operate at 14 different locations in the state. The law was approved in an effort to reduce homeowners' property taxes by $1 billion a year.

While casinos can help generate much needed income for states and local communities, the Gettysburg casino would be the first built so close to a Civil War battlefield -- just a mile and a half from the boundaries of Gettysburg National Military Park.

The three-day Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863 was a major turning point in the Civil War. It was also one of the largest and bloodiest battle of the war, with about one-third of the 165,000 soldiers getting killed, wounded, captured or gone missing.

In November of that year, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his memorable Gettysburg Address during the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery there, where several thousand Civil War casualties are buried.

Some citizens feel that not only would a large casino spoil Gettysburg's small community of about 8,000 residents, but it would also serve as an insult to the memory of the men who fought there and overshadow the historical importance of the area.

Recently, foes of the new gambling law took their case to Pennsylvania's Supreme Court, charging that the 2004 law was unconstitutional. But on Wednesday, June 22, 2005, the court rejected that challenge. Also in the ruling, though, the court restored power over zoning for developments to local communities, but maintained that the state's Gaming Control Board could decide where to locate any of the state's casinos.

Whether a casino gets built there or not, everyone agrees that the Battle of Gettysburg was a key event in shaping the future of our nation. However, as you'll discover in this week's lesson, it wasn't the only important factor -- a number of other battles, people and attitudes during the Civil War also contributed to these defining times in American history.

Revealing Images of War

Fortunately, photography existed in the 1860s and was used by news reporters and others to document events and conditions. Today, these images of war can help bring these historical times to life.

To really "get the picture" of who was involved and how the war was fought, let's take a trip to PBS to get a good look at the Civil War.

Begin by exploring some of the Telling Details of the war. Examine all 10 images by rolling over different parts of each photo.

Next, use the Image Browser to review a more comprehensive gallery of the war's people, places, and conditions.

For example, the galleries include photos of Groups of Soldiers, Battlefields, Camps and Quarters, Maritime efforts, Field and Hospital Care, and Armaments.

What kinds of equipment and supplies did soldiers have? Who else, besides soldiers, did the regiments depend upon and why?

How does the day-to-day living of American soldiers at war today compare with what Civil War soldiers faced? In what ways are these photos different from those captured by modern day war photographers? How are they similar?

Causes, Conflicts & Consequences

As you'll discover by looking at The Big Picture, Slavery and certain Trigger Events were key factors to setting off the war.

And, as you may have already suspected, deep conflicts between North v. South and over States Rights climaxed during this era.

In what ways did the North and South differ in social customs, economic development, demographics, etc.? How did they differ in how they viewed states rights and the power of the federal government? What factors influenced those differences?

Why was the issue of slavery such a major factor in causing the Civil War? What attempts were made to resolve the conflicts over slavery, and other issues, to avoid war between the North and South? Why did those efforts fail?

Next, see how Warfare was waged, by exploring some of the Conflicts -- including Antietam, Gettysburg, Chattanooga, Vicksburg, and Petersburg.

Of course, along with ground troops, both sides also had a Navy.

What kinds of things did the Union and Confederate military officers have to consider when planning their strategies? How well did they predict the movements of the opposing side? What were some of the consequences of the different battles, and in what ways did they influence the course of the war?

Now, discover how the development of Small Arms influenced battles and learn more about the people Who Fought the battles, including some of the Historic Figures who served as key players during the war. How was this war different from previous wars fought by Americans?

Lastly, uncover other characteristics of The 1860s -- including Music and Pastimes -- which were influenced by the war. In what ways did the war shape the social life of both soldiers and civilians?

Newspaper Activities

Lastly, pay attention to how the media reports conflicts engaged by today's American military. What are some differences and similarities in how they present events compared to how the Civil War was documented? For example, how do the media's reports of the deaths of American soldiers compare to during the Civil War? What factors influence the differences?