APES: Chapter 2
A Brief History of Environmental Science
EQ’s: How have the major revolutions in
human history influenced our
relationship with the natural world?
Introduction: Evidence suggests that
humans have existed in their present form
for somewhere between 60,000 and
180,000 years? Initially our species existed
as hunter-gatherers who were constantly on
the move for food. Then three cultural
changes occurred:
1. the agricultural revolution (10,000
years ago)
1
- slash and burn cultivation: cut and
burn vegetation and used ashes as
fertilizer.
- shifting cultivation: switched plots
when soil suffered from nutrient
depletion
Early farmers had little impact because
their numbers were low, there was plenty
of land, and they lacked the technology to
have a major impact on the land.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yocja_N5s1I&feature=c4-overviewvl&list=PLBDA2E52FB1EF80C9
2. the industrial revolution (about 275
years ago)
- shifted from use of renewable fuel (wood)
to nonrenewable fuel (coal, petroleum).
2
- growth of cities and the problems
associated with them (waste disposal,
pollution, communicable disease,
oppressive work conditions).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3PZ-qOJp0I
Industrial Revolution
3. the informational and globalization
revolution (began about 50 years ago)
2-2 The Tribal and Frontier Eras
EQ’s: How did people’s view of their
relationship with the natural world
change during the tribal and frontier
eras?
The environmental history of the United
States can be divided into four eras:
1- tribal
2- frontier
3- conservation
4- environmental
3
The tribal era is characterized by the
occupation of North America by native
people who practiced hunting and
gathering and some simple agriculture.
Their environmental impact was small, they
did not believe in private ownership of land,
and they held a deep respect for nature.
The frontier era began when colonists
from Europe began to settle in North
America. These people viewed the continent
as a wilderness with hostile savages and
wild beasts (Nature needed to be tamed).
During this time vast amounts of public
land was transferred to private
individuals to develop as they saw fit. The
Homestead Act of 1862 gave 160 acres of
land to any qualified settler. The “frontier”
was officially declared closed by the Federal
Government in 1890.
HW #1: Chapter Review Questions (page 37): #’s 1, 2, 4, 7, 8.
4
2-3 The Conservation Era
EQ’s: - Who were the major individuals of
the American environmental movement
and how did their contributions
influence our modern worldview?
Two of the earliest conservationists in
American history were Henry David
Thoreau and George Perkins Marsh.
Throeau built a cabin on Walden’s Pond
and lived there alone in an attempt to
rediscover his connection with the natural
world.00
Comment on the following quote:
I went to the woods because I wished to live
deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and
see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when
I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
5
Marsh helped influential citizens and
government officials recognize the need for
resource conservation (the frontier was not
endless). He was one of the first to actually
question the idea that natural resources
were inexhaustible and formulated the
basic principles still used for resource
conservation. Thinking Like a Mountain
In 1892 John Muir started the
preservationist movement which
advocating the protection of large tracts of
land to be off limits to people except for low
impact activities (hiking, camping).
6
Theodore Roosevelt was an ardent
conservationist and his administration is
called “The Golden Age of Conservation”.
Along with Gifford Pinochet he advocated
the “wise-use” (or conservationist)
movement which stated all public land
should be managed wisely and scientifically
to provide resources.
Beginning in the 1930’s there was a
wave of attempts to conserve national
resources as President Franklin Roosevelt
attempted to bring the country out of the
depression.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
put people to work planting trees,
developing and maintaining parks,
controlling soil erosion, and protecting
wildlife.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
replanted forests and built dams to provide
a source of hydroelectric power.
7
The modern environmental movement
began in the 1960’s with the goals of
curtailing pollution, cleaning up the
environment, and protecting pristine areas
from degradation. The Wilderness Act
(1964) authorized the Federal government
to protect undeveloped tracts of public land.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0uA7k0IWwM
The first Earth Day was celebrated in
1970 (April 22) in an attempt to heighten
public awareness of environmental issues
and the Endangered Species Act was
passed (1973) which greatly strengthened
the federal government’s ability to protect
endangered wildlife (marked the first time
the needs of non-human species
superseded human rights).
Hippocampus: http://www.hippocampus.org/Earth%20Science?uak=ipw Land: Wilderness & Recreational Parkland
8
The 5 major environmental issues that
are to be faced in the 21st century are:
a. Climate change and the economic
disruption that occurs.
b. water shortages and the political
conflicts that result.
c. Human population growth
d. loss of biodiversity
e. global poverty
Volunteer
Kyoto Protocol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbU-cDLQ0Yw
9
H.W. #2 Chapter 2: Review Questions (page 37) #’s 5, 13, 14, 18, 20.
APES: Chapter 2
A Brief History of Environmental Science
Introduction: Evidence suggests that humans have existed in their present form
for somewhere between _________________ and _______________________ years? Initially
our species existed as _______________- ________________ who were constantly on the
move for food.
Then three cultural changes occurred:
1. the ____________________ revolution (10,000 years ago)
- ___________ and __________ cultivation: cut and burn vegetation and used ashes as
fertilizer.
10
- _______________ cultivation: switched plots when soil suffered from nutrient
depletion
Why did early farmers have a small environmental impact?
2. the __________________________revolution (about 275 years ago)
- How did fuel usage switch during the industrial revolution?
- What problems were initially associated with the growth of cities?
3. the informational and globalization revolution (began about 50 years ago)
2-2 The Tribal and Frontier Eras
The environmental history of the United States can be divided into four eras:
1234Briefly describe the lives of people living in North America during the tribal era:
Why was their environmental impact minimal?
The frontier era began when ______________________ ____________________
____________________________________________ These people viewed the continent as a
wilderness with hostile savages and wild beasts (nature needed to be tamed).
What happened to public land during this time?
The Homestead Act of 1862 gave 160 acres of land to any qualified settler. The
“frontier” was officially declared closed by the Federal Government in 1890.
2-3 The Conservation Era
Two of the earliest conservationists in American history were Henry David Thoreau and
George Perkins Marsh.
11
Throeau built a cabin on Walden’s Pond and lived there alone in an attempt to
rediscover his connection with the natural world.
Comment on the following quote:
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the
essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when
I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
Marsh help influential citizens and government officials recognize the need for resource
conservation. What was unique about his contribution?
Marsh formulated the basic principles still used for resource conservation.
What is the preservationist movement and who founded it?
Theodore Roosevelt was an ardent conservationist and his administration is called “The
Golden Age of Conservation”.
Briefly describe the conservationist movement and name its two founders?
Beginning in the 1930’s there was a wave of attempts to conserve national resources as
President ___________________ ________________ attempted to bring the country out of the
depression.
What were the goals of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)?
What were the goals of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)?
12
What were the goals of the modern environmental movement when it began in the
1960’s?
The Wilderness Act (1964) authorized the Federal government to protect undeveloped
tracts of public land.
The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 (April 20). Why was it established initially?
What was the major goal of the Endangered Species Act passed in (1973)?
What made it unique?
APES: Chapter 2
A Brief History of Environmental Science
Introduction: Evidence suggests that humans have existed in their present form for
somewhere between 60,000 and 180,000 years? Initially our species existed as _____
_______________________________________who were constantly on the move for food. Then
three cultural changes occurred:
1. the _____________________revolution (10,000 years ago)
- slash and burn cultivation: ________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
- shifting cultivation: switched plots when soil suffered from nutrient depletion
Early farmers had little impact because their numbers were_____, there was
plenty of______________, and they lacked the ______________to have a major
impact on the land.
2. the industrial revolution (about 275 years ago)
- shifted from use of _________________________fuel (wood) to nonrenewable
fuel (coal, petroleum).
- growth of cities and the problems associated with them (waste disposal,
________________, communicable____________, oppressive work conditions).
3. the informational and globalization revolution (began about 50 years ago)
2-2 The Tribal and Fronteir Eras
13
The environmental history of the United States can be divided into four eras:
1- tribal
2- frontier 3- conservation
4- environmental
The tribal era is characterized by the occupation of North America by native
people who practiced hunting and gathering and some simple agriculture. Their
environmental impact was small, they did not believe in private ownership of land, and
they held a deep respect for nature.
The frontier era began when colonists from Europe began to settle in North
America. These people viewed the continent as a wilderness with hostile savages and
wild beasts.
During this time vast amounts of public land was transferred to private
individuals to develop as they saw fit. The Homestead Act of 1862 gave 160 acres of land
to any qualified settler. The “frontier” was officially declared closed by the Federal
Government in 1890.
2-3 The Conservation Era
- Who were the major individuals of the American environmental movement
and how did their contributions influence our modern worldview?
Two of the earliest conservationists in American history were Henry David
Thoreau and George Perkins Marsh.
Throeau built a cabin on Walden’s Pond and lived there alone in an attempt to
rediscover his connection with the natural world.
Marsh help influential citizens and government officials recognize the need for
resource conservation. He was one of the first to actually question the idea that natural
resources were inexhaustible and formulated the basic principles still used for resource
conservation.
In 1892 John Muir started the preservationist movement which advocating the
protection of large tracts of land to be off limits to people except for low impact activities
(hiking, camping).
Theodore Roosevelt was an ardent conservationist and his administration is
called “The Golden Age of Conservation”. Along with Gifford Pinochet he advocated
the “wise-use” (or conservationist) movement which stated all public land should be
managed wisely and scientifically to provide resources.
Beginning in the 1930’s there was a wave of attempts to conserve national
resources as President Franklin Roosevelt attempted to bring the country out of the
depression.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) put people to work planting trees,
developing and maintaining parks, controlling soil erosion, and protecting wildlife.
14
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) replanted forests and built dams to
provide a source of hydroelectric power.
The modern environmental movement began in the 1960’s with the goals of
curtailing pollution, cleaning up the environment, and protecting pristine areas from
degradation. The Wilderness Act (1964) authorized the Federal government to protect
undeveloped tracts of public land.
The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970 (April 20) in an attempt to heighten
public awareness of environmental issues and the Endangered Species Act was passed
(1973) which greatly strengthened the federal government’s ability to protect endangered
wildlife.
The 5 major environmental issues that are to be faced in the 21st century are:
15