This video provides context for the U.S. Army War College Gettysburg Staff Ride. It is the background information on the war, its causes, Union and Confederate national and military objectives, and the critical thinking that underpinned their approaches to fighting the war. It also includes insights on key personalities and builds on the events leading to the Battle of Gettysburg. A prerequisite for a staff ride is some study to determine facts. This video is part of that prestudy so that once on the battlefield, students can establish cause and effect and provide analysis.