Environmental History:
Learning from the Past
Environmental History of the US
4 Eras
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The environmental history of the US can be
divided into 4 eras:
 Tribal
 Frontier
 Early conservation
 Environmental
Environmental History of the US
Tribal Era
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Tribal Era
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Native Americans
10,000 years before
European settlement
Slash and burn/shifting
cultivation
Small population
Low environmental impact
Environmental History of the US
Frontier Era
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Frontier Era
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Early 1600’s—European settlement
Frontier environmental
worldview—vast and inexhaustible
resources
Tribes and land conquered
Publicprivate land
Government declared frontier
officially closed in 1890
Environmental History of the US
Early Conservation Era
1832-1870
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Early Conservation Era
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Alarm at resource depletion
Urged part of unspoiled wilderness be protected as
legacy to future generations
Thoreau (Life in the Woods) and other writers addressed
these issues but not taken seriously
Active 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 US
Early Conservation Era
1870-1930
Actions ↑ role of government
and private citizens in
resource conservation
 1891-Forest Reserve Act established
federal government as responsible for
protecting public lands
 1892-John Muir founded Sierra Club and
led preservationist movement
 1890-Yosemite National Park
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Environmental History of the US
Early Conservation Era
1870-1930 cont….
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Theodore Roosevelt 1901-1908
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Established wildlife reserves and tripled size
of national reserve
President given power to designate public
land as federal wildlife reserves
1905-US Forest Service
1906-Antiquities Act President can protect
areas on federal lands as national
monuments (Grand Canyon)
“Golden Age of Conservation”
Environmental History of the US
Early Conservation Era
1870-1930 cont….
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1916-National Park
Service Act creates
National Park System
Environmental History of the US
Early Conservation Era
1930-1960
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Franklin D. Roosevelt
(FDR)
1933-Civil Conservation
Corp (CCC)
 2 million people
employed
 Restore degraded
environment, built dams,
etc.
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1940’s and 50’s had little
change
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Environmental History of the US
Environmental Era
1960’s
Environmental Era
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Citizens began modern
environmental movement
1962-Rachel Carson published
Silent Spring about pesticide effects
1963-Clean Air Act
1964 Wilderness Act protecting
tracts of land in the Wilderness System
1968-Garrett Hardin
1969-Spaceship Earth worldview
Environmental History of the US
Environmental Era
1970’s
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Environmental decade
1970-1st Earth Day
Nixon
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1970-EPA established
1973-Endagered Species Act
1978-Bureau of Land Management
started to manage public lands
through Federal Land Policy and
Management Act
Environmental History of the US
Environmental Era
1970’s cont…..
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Jimmy Carter
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1977-Department of Energy (DOE)
to reduce dependence on foreign
oil
1977-Clean Water Act
1980-Superfund created in
response to Love Canal to clean up
abandoned hazardous waste
Tripled land in National Wilderness
system and doubled land in the
National Park System
Environmental History of the US
Environmental Era
1980’s
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Anti-environmental movement formed
to weaken laws of 60’s and 70’s
Ronald Reagan
 Increased private energy, mineral
development and timber cutting
 Funding for environmental resources cut
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Environmental History of the US
Environmental Era
1990-2004
cont….
George Bush Sr.
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Weakened protections on almost
as much public lands as Teddy
Roosevelt protected
Increase fossil fuel use
Relaxation on air and water
quality standards
1992 attended the United Nations
Conference, Earth Summit, in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil to discuss
environmental issues
Environmental History of the US
Environmental Era
1990-2004
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Clinton protected more public
lands as national monuments
than any other Pres.
1997-Kyoto Japan 161 nations
met to negotiate a treaty to
decrease emissions and slow
climate change
Environmental History of the US
Environmental Era
1990-2004
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George Bush Jr
 Just like dad
 Withdrew US totally
from Kyoto treaty
We’ll see what’s next!
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