Gettysburg was the site of one of the most defining battles of the Civil War, but it was only half of a devastating one-two punch that dealt a crippling blow to the Confederacy. The nearly simultaneous Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg shattered Confederate hopes of securing independence and gaining recognition from European powers. In this course, we will explore the significance of these two pivotal battles, examine their impact on the Confederate war effort, and discuss why the Confederacy was ultimately unable to recover from these devastating losses.