Question

what did confederate general robert e. lee hope to accomplish at the battle of gettysburg? a. he intended to gain control of waterways to allow reinforcements to reach the north. b. he sought to weaken northern support for the war by invading union territory. c. he hoped to limit union access to the ports it relied on for receiving supplies. d. he wanted to prevent union soldiers from retreating toward the american west.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Controlling waterways for Northern reinforcements is illogical (Confederacy fought against the North).
• Option B: Lee invaded Union territory (Pennsylvania) to weaken Northern war support, as a victory there could sway public opinion against the war.
• Option C: Limiting Union port access was not the goal at Gettysburg (port control was more related to naval actions elsewhere).
• Option D: Preventing retreat to the West is irrelevant to Gettysburg’s context.

Answer:

B. He sought to weaken Northern support for the war by invading Union territory.