In the dramatic narratives that comprise the republic of nature, mark fiege reframes the canonical account of american history based on the simple but radical premise that nothing in the nations past can be considered apart from the natural circumstances in which it occurred. This interdisciplinary journal addresses issues relating to human interactions with the natural world over time, and includes insights from history, geography, anthropology, the natural sciences, and many other disciplines. Find 9780495912422 major problems in american environmental history 3rd edition by carolyn merchant at over 30 bookstores. American environmental history offers a superb introduction to the field. In this new edition of his seminal student textbook, j. Revisiting historical icons so familiar that schoolchildren learn to take them for granted, he. Jane carruthers and international environmental history.
It works very well as a history of north america through a lens of environmental concerns. If environmental history is to make a dent in the public. Mcneill encyclopedia of life support systems eolss first is the study of material environmental history, the human involvement with forests and frogs, with coal and cholera. This volume traces the history of environmental conditions in the united states through the examination of critical issues such as pollution, conservation, and wilderness preservation.
History of the modern environmental movement in america by erin l. The columbia guide to american environmental history introduces the many dimensions of human interaction with nature over time. United states general american west california pacific northwest rockies and great basin southwest great plains midwest south northeast alaska hawaii. An excellent choice for environmental history courses. Many scholars in the field trained as geographers or historical ecologists. Pdf globalizing american environmental history thomas. Joachim radkau starts from mans relation to water as a paradigm for environmental history education. The course addresses the changing impact of human populations, their technology and their ideas on the physical environment, as well as how climate, topography, plants and animals have enabled. The 4 stages of american environmental history huntergatherer society 25,000 12,000 ybp agricultural revolution c. Finally it touches on environmental historys relationship to social theory and to the natural sciences as they have evolved in recent decades. In any case, it is quite clear that, directly or indirectly, public debate has been challenging environmental historians, even when apparently denied. American environmental history is an interesting amalgam of physical and cultural anthropology, technological history, political history, and economics.
It considers the precursors of environmental history, its emergence since the 1970s, its condition in several settings and historiographies. A peoples history of environmentalism in the united states. It is time we bought a good set of walking shoes, and we cannot avoid getting some mud on them. This short piece was part of a 2004 anniversary issue of the journal environmental history and calls for intermediate scale comparative work using categories of analysis from american environmental history. Environmental history this course examines the reciprocal relations between humans and nonhuman nature through a historiographic perspective. The environmental movement is a truly fascinating one with a long and complicated history. Demonstrate familiarity with key moments in the history of the american environmental movement, including conservationism, preservationism, early urban reform movements, the second wave of environmental concern, the environmental justice movement, and contemporary movements including transnational environmental advocacy.
A good textbook or supplement for an undergraduate or advanced high schoolhomeschool course. Environmental history would refer to the past contact of man with his total habitat. Within environmental history, we have an arena in which to broaden the horizons and boundaries of historical study. Historical environmental topics epa history us epa. Preface 1 faith in a generous land 2 pathogens and plows in the land of plenty 3 a great fur and hide marketplace 4 a great farming nation 5 a newer garden of creation 6 naturally horrifying. We will approach these broad questions not through a chronological survey of all american history, but rather through an eclectic series of case studies focusing on different approaches and questions that have guided environmental historians in their work. The essential reference to this critical topic and the only work of its kind, the fourvolume encyclopedia of american environmental history begins with eight broad thematic essays, which highlight the major issues and topics in environmental history and serve as an entryway to other, more specific articles throughout the reference.
A cdrom, american environmental history, created by carolyn merchant, university of california, berkeley, is available at no charge to educators who wish to use it in their classrooms. An environmental history of the 19th century marquette iron range by doug ottke bachelor of arts, earlham college, 1994 a thesis submitted to the graduate faculty of the university of north dakota in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of science grand forks, north dakota december 1999. It is a kind of history that seeks understanding of human beings as they have lived, worked, and thought in relationship to the rest of nature through the changes brought by time. Emergency planning and community righttoknow act epcra environmental research, development and demonstration authorization act. If notability cannot be established, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted. Jan 01, 1993 major problems in american environmental history major problems in american history book.
This interdisciplinary journal addresses issues relating to human. Doing environmental history to do environmental history, we must get out of doors. Currently, the state of the environment is often a topic of discussion by many types of people, from everyday citizens to politicians. Major problems in american environmental history major. Environmental history text ive read, so it was interesting in that sense. Bibliography includes bibliographical references and index. This collection of readings contains comprehensive primary and secondary works in the field of conservation, emphasizes the history of ideas and attitudes about conservation, and gives a chronology of important conservation events in u. Focusing on both humaninduced environmental change and natures impact on human development, we will examine largescale changes in the earths environmental systems that have accompanied historical changes in culture, society, economics, politics, and.
Gregg mitman and florence hsia environmental history reading list classics and overviews. This class will examine how human society and the environment have shaped. Subjects include the changing american landscape, soil epidemics, waste disposal, industrial development, conservation, and the environmental movement. It was very satisfying to list a new course entitled american environmental history with the registrar of my university. In order to place american environmental issues in a. Major problems in american environmental history major problems in american history book. An environmental history of latin america this book, in a series of short historical episodes, narrates the mutually vital and reciprocally mortal relationship between tropical nature and human culture in latin america. Includes the work of pathbreaking environmental historians, from the founders of the field, to contributions from innovative young scholars. The columbia guide to american environmental history on jstor. Its environment and history national endowment for. A new, improved, expanded version of american environmental history is available now. Environmental history is about looking at the past as if the environment matters.
Environmental studies is an interdisciplinary major that focuses on the environment and humans relationship with it. Environment in the civil war 7 western lands of wealth and violence 8 conserving resources, saving sacred spaces, and cleaning the. American environmental history simple book publishing. Environmental studies courses of study bulletin 20192020. Edited by a national leader in the fields of conservation, environmental management, and education, this well.
History of the modern environmental movement in america. While its absolutely not a requirement to be an environmentalist, knowing a little bit of the history is not only beneficial but also interesting. With primary documents that illustrate the conditions, perception, and influences. Federal water pollution control act amendments of 1972. Environmental history is many things to many people. A new teaching frontier roderick nash the author is a member of the department of history and cochairman of the environmental studies program in the university of california, santa barbara. Environmentalism evolved to become a multifaceted movement in the united states. Humankind has long been part of nature, but a distinctive part. Its environment and history chronicles, for example, the construction of over 20,000 miles of roads under the qin and han dynasties 221 bce to 220 ce, the dramatic change in the course of the yellow river engineered in 1194, and the origins of the highly fertile pearl river delta, whichfar from being a natural.
An environmental history of the twentiethcentury world. The cd is designed for use in any american environmental history course or with the text major problems in american environmental history, ed. More than most varieties of history, environmental history is an interdisciplinary project. In the widelyheld version of events, the us environmental movement was born with the publication of rachel carsons silent spring in 1962 and was driven by the increased leisure and wealth of an educated middle class. The program incorporates a variety of approaches in the arts and humanities, the natural sciences, social analysis, and social policy. Bibliography compiled by jessica teisch with support from the national humanities center and the national endowment for. Encyclopedia of american environmental history, 4volume set. Federal insecticide, fungicide and rodenticide act. World environmental history the historiography of environmental history j. Written by a scholar of classical antiquity, it gracefully covers ancient, medieval, and modern periods with a global vision. A brief history on environmentalism the green medium.
Environmental history in an environmental history of the world 2001, donald hughes presents a number of case studies of humanenvironmental interaction arranged chronologically to illustrate eight general periods in human historycharacterized by largescale changes in the relationship of human societies to the biosphere. The early conservation era 1832 1870 growing public alarm at loss of forests, resources and wilderness thoreau, marsh beginnings of federal control 18701930 new gov. Demonstrate familiarity with key moments in the history of the american environmental movement, including conservationism, preservationism, early urban reform movements, the. The author, however, makes in my opinion some very farfetched connections between major historical eventsfigures and what his definition of nature is. American environmental history open textbook library. Gordon the modern day environmental movement in the united states began in the in 1960s and 1970s. Brings the field uptodate to reflect the latest trends and encourages new directions for the field. Environmental history is the humanities field that lies at heart of the interface between people and their physical environments. Teaching environmental history in the us and world history. Carolyn merchant is professor of environmental history, philosophy, and ethics at the university of california, berkeley. History and theory, theme issue 42 december 2003, 543. Such a definition represented one of the broadest nets thrown by historians because it went beyond the human dimension to embrace all life and, ultimately, the environment itself. Your name meridith beck sayre nelson institute for.
This book offers a fresh and innovative account of the history of environmentalism in the united states, challenging the dominant narrative in the field. Being over two centuries long, the movements history is full of many great ups and downs. Clean air act of 19701977 and clean air act amendments of 1990. Covering a period that begins with ancient amerindian. The future of environmental history 7 engagement with the world can be both a materialist underpinning of research, as well as a motivation for undertaking it in the first place. The little ice age, also known as longterm climate change there is no more relevant example of environmental historys relevance to human history than the so called little ice age lia, a term which applies much more aptly to the northern hemisphere and especially europe, as ice age isnt very helpful when we are talking about drought conditions in the tropics. A cultural history of farming, gardening, shopping, and eating university press of kansas, 2015, will be sold. A companion to american environmental history wiley. Beginning with the precolonial landuse practice of native americans and concluding with our twentyfirst century concerns over our global ecological crisis, american environmental history addresses contentious issues such as the preservation of the wilderness, the expulsion of native peoples from national parks, and population growth, and.
The second edition of this popular text includes several new essays and documents and pays particular attention to multiculturalism and gender throughout. This compilation of seminal essays and primary documents introduces students to the most exciting scholarship and writing on the of environmental history in the united states. American history is about looking at the past of not only the united states, but of both the american continents. Her research focuses on the relationships between humans and the environment, the role of women and minorities in environmental history and in shaping science and technology, and narratives about the causes and effects of environmental problems. The topic of this article may not meet wikipedia s notability guideline for standalone lists. A stateoftheart report for any scholar, and a perfect introduction for the. North american agreement on environmental cooperation.
Focusing on both humaninduced environmental change and natures impact on human development, we will examine largescale changes in the earths environmental systems that have accompanied historical changes in culture, society, economics, politics, and technology. Cultural history of the united states environmental history. This movement was originally focused on a few prominent environmental issues and disasters. By the completion of this course, students should be able to. Americas environmental history a difference of nearly four decades. Please help to establish notability by citing reliable secondary sources that are independent of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention. This volume, developed through an international workshop entitled the edges of en vironmental history, is a tribute to the wonderful career of jane carruthers. As people have lived and spread out over the planet, they have modified its forests, plains, and deserts. Provides a complete historiography of american environmental history. This compilation of seminal essays introduces students to the most exciting scholarship and writing on the environmental history in the united states. Carolyn merchant is the chancellors professor of environmental history, philosophy, and ethics at the university of california, berkeley.