I Have Seen the Elephant?

Have you ever seen an elephant? Pachyderms are big, powerful, and awesome creatures with thick skin, floppy ears, and ivory tusks, one of the largest land animals on earth. The mammals are unusual to look at too with their elongated, vacuum hose-like noses.

During the Civil War, soldiers used the phrase "I have seen the elephant" to describe the overwhelming effect of war. In a very short period of time, soldiers endured hardships and tragedies which made them look differently at life. In the words of Union private Alonzo Bump of the 77th New York regiment, war "has maid a man out of me." Not all of military life was bad, however. Soldiers developed strong friendships, eating, writing letters, and playing sports together.

Learning about history can also be a life changing experience. Understanding the past offers insights into the world at present. Think about the Civil War, for example. Four years of bloodshed and strife secured the right for all Americans today to be paid for their labor, ending the country's tragic involvement with human bondage. Knowledge of the past then provides reasons for present day social, economic, political, and international conditions. Yet the field causes some students frustration, particularly if associated with memorizing facts, themes, and dates, and the writing of wordy papers.

The intent of this website is to help students understand primary source documents, the basic tools of historians, while making the study of history a little more fun. Alonzo Bump & Friend Story introduces the website's namesake through a short biographical essay. Within the segment also are exercises and suggestions to tweak writing skills as well as activities to visualize and enhance essays through illustrations. Alonzo Bump