environmental history: learning from the past
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Environmental History: Learning from the Past. Cultural Changes and the Environment Human History. Homo sapiens have been on Earth 160,000 years Until 12,000 years ago we were hunter-gatherers, moving as we needed for food. Cultural Changes and the Environment Three Cultural Changes. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Environmental Environmental History: Learning History: Learning
from the Pastfrom the Past
Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment
Human HistoryHuman History Homo sapiens Homo sapiens have have
been on Earth 160,000 been on Earth 160,000 yearsyears
Until 12,000 years ago Until 12,000 years ago we were hunter-we were hunter-gatherers, moving as gatherers, moving as we needed for foodwe needed for food
Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment
Three Cultural ChangesThree Cultural Changes Agricultural revolutionAgricultural revolution
Began 10-12,000 yrs agoBegan 10-12,000 yrs ago Industrial revolutionIndustrial revolution
150 years ago150 years ago Information and globalization Information and globalization
revolutionrevolution 50 years ago50 years ago
Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment
Three Cultural ChangesThree Cultural Changes Have increasedHave increased our impact on our impact on
environment in several waysenvironment in several ways1.1. More energy and technologyMore energy and technology
2.2. Increased food productionIncreased food production
3.3. Expansion of human populationExpansion of human population
4.4. Increase in resource useIncrease in resource use
Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment
Hunters-GatherersHunters-Gatherers Most of our existenceMost of our existence
1.1. Collect edible plants, fish, huntCollect edible plants, fish, hunt
2.2. Lived in small nomadic bandsLived in small nomadic bands
3.3. Worked together to surviveWorked together to survive Population grew Population grew slowlyslowly SmallSmall environmental impact environmental impact South Africa: San, Khwe, Sho, South Africa: San, Khwe, Sho,
Bushmen, and Basarwa Bushmen, and Basarwa Australia: Australia: Spinifex people
Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment
Hunters-GatherersHunters-Gatherers
Small environmental Small environmental impact due to:impact due to: Understanding of Understanding of
environmentenvironment Low Low populationpopulation Low Low resourceresource use use Migration to allow reparationMigration to allow reparation Lack of Lack of technologytechnology
Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment
Agricultural RevolutionAgricultural Revolution Began 10-12,000 years agoBegan 10-12,000 years ago H-G H-G settledsettled & created & created
agricultural communitiesagricultural communities Plant cultivation developed Plant cultivation developed
Slash and burn/shifting Slash and burn/shifting cultivationcultivation
Sustainable: Sustainable: grow food enough grow food enough for living; want resources for living; want resources available for future available for future generations!generations!
Little Little impactimpact on the environment- on the environment-no machineryno machinery
3
Harvesting for2 to 5 years
1Clearing
and burningvegetation
2
Planting
4Allowing
to revegetate10 to 30 years
Agricultural Revolution
Good News Bad News
More food Destruction of wildlife habitats from clearing forests and grasslands
Longer life expectancy
Fertile land turned into desert by livestock overgrazing
Supported a larger population
Formation of villages, towns, and cities
Towns and cities served as centers for trade, government,and religion
Killing of wild animals feeding on grass or crops
Soil eroded streams and lakes
Increase in armed conflict and slavery over ownership of land and water resources
Towns and cities concentrated wastes and pollution and increased spread of diseases
Higher standard of living for many people
Pick 3 examples of each to ADD to your notes!
Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment
Industrial/Medical RevolutionIndustrial/Medical Revolution Began in Began in
England in England in 17001700’’ss
U.S. in 1800U.S. in 1800’’ss Huge shift in Huge shift in
cultureculture
Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment
Industrial/Medical RevolutionIndustrial/Medical Revolution Cultural shiftsCultural shifts
RenewableRenewable (wood, water) (wood, water) nonrenewable nonrenewable Localized goods Localized goods large scale, machine large scale, machine
mademade Rural (country living) Rural (country living) urban (city-living)urban (city-living) Increased Increased crop yields/acre w/ farm crop yields/acre w/ farm
machinery machinery Population Population ↑↑ sharply sharply Environmental impact Environmental impact ↑↑
Industrial-Medical Revolution
Trade-Offs
Good News Bad News
Mass production of useful and affordable products
Increased air pollution
Longer life expectancy
Soil depletion and degradation
Greatly increased agricultural production
Increased urbanization
Lower rate of population growth
Increased water pollution
Groundwater depletion
Habitat destruction and degradation
Higher standard of living for many
Lower infant mortality
Increased waste pollution
Biodiversity depletion
Pick 2 examples of each to ADD to your notes!
Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment
Information and Global Information and Global RevolutionRevolution Information and Global Revolution-Information and Global Revolution-
19501950’’ss New technology to gain rapid access to global New technology to gain rapid access to global
infoinfo TVTV TelephoneTelephone SatellitesSatellites ComputersComputers
Information-Globalization Revolution
Trade-Offs
Good News Bad News
Remote-sensing satellite surveys of the world’s environmental systems
Ability to respond to environmental problems more effectively and rapidly
Globalized economy can increase environmental degradation by homogenizing the earth’s surface
Globalized economy can decrease cultural diversity
Computer-generated models and maps of the earth’s environmental systems
Information overload can cause confusion and sense of hopelessness
Environmental History of theEnvironmental History of theUnited StatesUnited States
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:
1.1. TribalTribal
2.2. FrontierFrontier
3.3. Early conservationEarly conservation
4.4. EnvironmentalEnvironmental
Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS
Tribal EraTribal Era Native AmericansNative Americans 10,000 years before 10,000 years before
European settlement European settlement Hunter GatherersHunter Gatherers Slash and Slash and
burn/shifting burn/shifting cultivationcultivation
SmallSmall population population LowLow environmental environmental
impactimpact
Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS
Frontier EraFrontier Era Early 1600Early 1600’’s—European s—European
settlementsettlement Frontier environmental Frontier environmental
worldviewworldview—vast and —vast and inexhaustible resourcesinexhaustible resources
Tribes and land conqueredTribes and land conquered PublicPublic private land private land Government declared frontier Government declared frontier
officially closed in 1890officially closed in 1890
Conservation Era (1832-1960)Conservation Era (1832-1960) Concern over Concern over resourceresource use use Preservation of Preservation of publicpublic land land Public health initiativesPublic health initiatives Environmental Environmental restorationrestoration projects projects
Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS
Conservation EraConservation Era
Environmental Era Environmental Era (1960-2010)(1960-2010) Science of Science of
EcologyEcology 1980’s: 1980’s: anti-anti-
environmental environmental movementmovement
1990’s: 1990’s: environmental environmental awareness awareness
Environmental History of the Environmental History of the USUS
Environmental EraEnvironmental Era
George Perkins MarshGeorge Perkins Marsh A scientist and member of congressA scientist and member of congress Questioned the idea that resources were Questioned the idea that resources were
inexhaustibleinexhaustible Created resource conservation Created resource conservation
principles we still use today principles we still use today Example: We will conserve forests, Example: We will conserve forests,
so we can use them later—wood, etc.so we can use them later—wood, etc.
John MuirJohn Muir Founded the Sierra ClubFounded the Sierra Club PreservationPreservation Preserve areas for aesthetics Preserve areas for aesthetics
(beauty of nature!)(beauty of nature!)
Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt Conservationists whose term in office Conservationists whose term in office
was known as the was known as the “Golden Age of “Golden Age of Conservation”.Conservation”.
Designated the Grand Canyon as one of Designated the Grand Canyon as one of the first 16 national parks.the first 16 national parks.
More than More than tripled the size of the tripled the size of the national forest reserves.national forest reserves.
Rachel CarsonRachel Carson Wrote the book “Silent Spring” Wrote the book “Silent Spring”
about the dangers of pesticides.about the dangers of pesticides. Contributed to the ban of DDTContributed to the ban of DDT
1.1. The threat of climate The threat of climate changechange
2.2. Growing water shortagesGrowing water shortages
3.3. Continuing population Continuing population growthgrowth
4.4. Continuing biodiversity Continuing biodiversity lossloss
5.5. Continuing povertyContinuing poverty
Environmental Challenges Environmental Challenges of the 21of the 21stst Century Century
Topography Song-RulesTopography Song-Rules
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT4FxKyE7QQ