The Battle of Gettysburg served as a vital turning point of the American Civil War. Despite these catastrophic losses—the Union suffered 23,000 casualties; the South 28,000—the Union defended itself from the Confederate army pushing north toward Washington, D.C. The Gettysburg Battlefield explores the cultural, economical, and political causes of the bloodiest war the United States ever fought, putting the fight against slavery and secession into context for young readers through vivid photographs and illustrations, informative sidebars, and quotes from soldiers involved in the battle.