Environmental Environmental History: Learning History: Learning

from the Pastfrom the Past

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

4 Eras4 Eras The environmental history of the US can The environmental history of the US can

be divided into 4 eras:be divided into 4 eras: TribalTribal FrontierFrontier Early conservationEarly conservation EnvironmentalEnvironmental

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Tribal EraTribal Era Tribal Era-Tribal Era-

Native AmericansNative Americans 10,000 years before 10,000 years before

European settlement European settlement Slash and burn/shifting Slash and burn/shifting

cultivationcultivation Small populationSmall population Low environmental Low environmental

impactimpact

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Frontier EraFrontier Era Frontier Era-Frontier Era- Early 1600’s—European Early 1600’s—European

settlementsettlement Frontier environmental Frontier environmental

worldview—vast and worldview—vast and inexhaustible resourcesinexhaustible resources

Tribes and land conqueredTribes and land conquered PublicPublicprivate landprivate land Government declared frontier Government declared frontier

officially closed in 1890officially closed in 1890

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Early Conservation EraEarly Conservation Era 1832-18701832-1870 Early Conservation Era-Early Conservation Era-

Alarm at resource depletionAlarm at resource depletion Urged part of unspoiled wilderness be protected as Urged part of unspoiled wilderness be protected as

legacy to future generationslegacy to future generations Thoreau (Thoreau (Life in the Woods)Life in the Woods) and other writers and other writers

addressed these issues but not taken seriouslyaddressed these issues but not taken seriously Active role of government increasesActive role of government increases Environmental change within democracies involves

voicing opinions through elected officials, legislation, budgeting, and lobbying by special interest groups.

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Early Conservation EraEarly Conservation Era1870-19301870-1930

Actions Actions ↑ role of government ↑ role of government

and private citizens in and private citizens in

resource conservationresource conservation 1891-Forest Reserve Act1891-Forest Reserve Act established federal established federal

government as responsible for protecting government as responsible for protecting public landspublic lands

1892-John Muir1892-John Muir founded Sierra Club and led founded Sierra Club and led preservationist movementpreservationist movement

1890-Yosemite National Park1890-Yosemite National Park

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Early Conservation EraEarly Conservation Era1870-1930 cont….1870-1930 cont….

Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1908Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1908 Established wildlife reserves and tripled Established wildlife reserves and tripled

size of national reservesize of national reserve President given power to designate President given power to designate

public land as federal wildlife reservespublic land as federal wildlife reserves 1905-US Forest Service1905-US Forest Service 1906-Antiquities Act1906-Antiquities Act President can President can

protect areas on federal lands as protect areas on federal lands as national monuments (Grand Canyon)national monuments (Grand Canyon)

““Golden Age of Conservation”Golden Age of Conservation”

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Early Conservation EraEarly Conservation Era1870-1930 cont….1870-1930 cont…. 1916-National Park 1916-National Park

Service Act Service Act creates creates National Park National Park SystemSystem

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Early Conservation EraEarly Conservation Era1930-19601930-1960 Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt

(FDR)(FDR) 1933-Civil Conservation 1933-Civil Conservation

Corp (CCC)Corp (CCC) 2 million people 2 million people

employedemployed Restore degraded Restore degraded

environment, built dams, environment, built dams, etc.etc.

1940’s and 50’s had little 1940’s and 50’s had little changechange

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Environmental EraEnvironmental Era1960’s1960’s Environmental Era-Environmental Era-

Citizens began modern Citizens began modern environmental movementenvironmental movement

1962-Rachel Carson1962-Rachel Carson published published Silent SpringSilent Spring about pesticide effects about pesticide effects

1963-Clean Air Act1963-Clean Air Act 1964 Wilderness Act1964 Wilderness Act protecting protecting

tracts of land in the Wilderness Systemtracts of land in the Wilderness System 1968-Garrett Hardin1968-Garrett Hardin 1969-Spaceship Earth worldview1969-Spaceship Earth worldview

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Environmental EraEnvironmental Era1970’s1970’s Environmental decadeEnvironmental decade

1970-11970-1stst Earth Day Earth Day NixonNixon

1970-EPA established1970-EPA established 1973-Endagered Species Act1973-Endagered Species Act 1978-Bureau of Land 1978-Bureau of Land

ManagementManagement started to manage started to manage public lands through Federal public lands through Federal Land Policy and Management Land Policy and Management ActAct

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Environmental EraEnvironmental Era1970’s cont…..1970’s cont….. Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter

1977-Department of Energy (DOE)1977-Department of Energy (DOE)

to reduce dependence on foreign to reduce dependence on foreign oiloil

1977-Clean Water Act1977-Clean Water Act 1980-Superfund1980-Superfund created in created in

response to Love Canal to clean response to Love Canal to clean up abandoned hazardous wasteup abandoned hazardous waste

Tripled land in National Tripled land in National Wilderness system and doubled Wilderness system and doubled land in the National Park Systemland in the National Park System

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Environmental EraEnvironmental Era1980’s1980’s Anti-environmental movement formed Anti-environmental movement formed

to weaken laws of 60’s and 70’sto weaken laws of 60’s and 70’s Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan

Increased private energy, mineral Increased private energy, mineral

development and timber cuttingdevelopment and timber cutting Funding for environmental resources cutFunding for environmental resources cut

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Environmental EraEnvironmental Era1990-2004 cont….1990-2004 cont…. George Bush Sr.George Bush Sr.

Weakened protections on almost as Weakened protections on almost as much public lands as Teddy much public lands as Teddy Roosevelt protectedRoosevelt protected

Increase fossil fuel useIncrease fossil fuel use Relaxation on air and water quality Relaxation on air and water quality

standardsstandards 1992 1992 attended the United Nations attended the United Nations

Conference, Conference, Earth Summit,Earth Summit, in Rio de in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to discuss Janeiro, Brazil to discuss environmental issuesenvironmental issues

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Environmental EraEnvironmental Era1990-20041990-2004 Clinton protected more Clinton protected more

public lands as national public lands as national monuments than any other monuments than any other Pres.Pres.

1997-Kyoto Japan1997-Kyoto Japan 161 161 nations nations

met to negotiate a treaty to met to negotiate a treaty to decrease emissions and decrease emissions and slow climate changeslow climate change

Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS

Environmental EraEnvironmental Era1990-20041990-2004 George Bush JrGeorge Bush Jr

Just like dadJust like dad Withdrew US totally Withdrew US totally

from Kyoto treatyfrom Kyoto treaty We’ll see what’s next!We’ll see what’s next! Frontline’s Frontline’s Hot Politics