Presidential seal

Environmental History of the U.S.

By Jahmir & Richard
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    Early Conservation Era 1830's - 1870's

    • Government notices depletion of resources, and takes a more active role in protecting the environment. -Life in the Woods is published by Thoreau in this time period, but is not recognized until later years. The book is about self discovery in nature, and how science can't give that to people. This shows why the environment should be protected.
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    Early Conservation Era 1870's - 1930's

    • The government and private citizens take a larger role
    • Forest Reserve Act established, which set aside 17.5 million acres of land to be protected from use.
    • John Muir founded Sierra Club & led preservationist movement. The Sierra club is made up of people who try to better protect their wildlife, community, and planet.
    • Yosemite National Park 1890
    • 1916 - National Park System established
    • President Hoover wanted to sell or return federal lands but was deterred due to the Great Depression
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    Early Conservation Era - Theodore Roosevelt

    • Established wildlife reserve and tripled size of national reserve.
    • President given power to designte public land as federal wildlife services.
    • 1905 - US Forest Service - Agency of U.S. Dept. of Agri. that administers over the national parks and reserves.
    • 1906 - Antiquities Act allows the president to protect areas on federal lands as national monuments.
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    Early Conservation Era 1930's - 1960's

    • Franklin Roosevelt's administration was responsible for changes.
    • 1933 Civil Conservation Corp is a group that gave work to men without jobs that helped to conserve the environment.
    • 2 million employed
    • Degraded environments restored, dams built, etc.
    • 40's and 50's had little change.
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    Environmental Era 1960's

    • Rachel Carson releases the book Silent Sping, which let people know about the harmful effects of pesticides on the environment.
    • Citizens began modern environmental movement
    • 1963 - Clean Air Act protects the air quality and the ozone layer.
    • 1964 - Wilderness Act protectstracts of land in the wilderness system
    • 1968 - Garret Hardin writes his essay the Tragedy of the Commons, which explains that the increase in population would mean overexploitation of resources.
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    Environmental Era - 1970's

    • Environmental Decade
    • 1970 - 1st Earth Day
    • Nixon created many policies protecting the environment.
    • 1970 - EPA established
    • 1973 - Endangered Species Act
    • 1978 - Bureau of Land Managaement manages land through the Federal Land Policy and the Management Act.
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    Environmental Era 1980's

    -During this time movements were made to hinder the environmental protection laws the US already had.
    -Under President Reagan we used more private energy, increased mineral developement, and cut down more trees.
    -Environmental funds are cut.
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    Environmental Era 1990's - 21st Century

    -Under the presidency of George Bush Sr. the US destroyed protections on public land, We used more fossil fuels, and we we lowered our air and water quality standards.
    -Under the presidency of Bill Clinton the public lands became protected once again, and treatie was made with Japan to reduce emmisions.(Kyoto Treaty)
    -Finally under the presidency of George Bush Jr. just reversed all of the progress Bill Clinton made by withdrawing from the Kyoto Treaty and following the footsteps of his father.