Which battle is described as the turning point and the last major battle in the Northern theater?

• A. Gettysburg
• B. Vicksburg
• C. Fredericksburg
• D. Chickamauga

Answer: (A)

The key idea is identifying the battle that marks a decisive shift in the war and was the last large confrontation fought in the Northern theater. Gettysburg fits best because it stopped Lee’s invasion of the North, preserving Union morale and turning the momentum of the war toward the Union. The victory in Pennsylvania ended Confederate hopes of a successful northern invasion and began a series of Union offensives that steadily wore down the Confederacy. This battle is viewed as the turning point for the Eastern Theater. It’s also why it’s considered the last major battle in the Northern theater—after Gettysburg, the major actions moved to other theaters, and no large-scale Confederate invasion into Northern territory occurred. Fredericksburg was a Confederate victory in Virginia and does not represent a turning point; Chickamauga occurred in the Western Theater, and Vicksburg, while critical, was a Western Theater campaign on the Mississippi.