Is Gettysburg America's Epic Tale, Central to Our National Identity? (Lecture)

Throughout the history of civilization, the most significant nation-states and empires have celebrated an epic war story that formed the core of their identity. Whether it was Homer's Iliad in Greece, Virgil's Aeneid in Rome, the Hebrew Exodus from Egypt or England's Beowulf and King Arthur, all of these informed and instructed successive generations what it meant to be Greek, Roman, Hebrew or English. Each one imparted great stories that promoted collective heritage and instilled moral lessons on how to live a noble and virtuous life. Each epic story embodied the essence of the people portrayed within its pages. Can the same be said for the Battle of Gettysburg? Does the battle encapsulate the nature of what it is to be an American? With Ranger Troy Harman.