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Transcendentalism
During the 19th century, the idea of transcendentalism was a big theme in all types of literature. Writers such as Ralph Emerson and Henry Thoreau got their inspiration from nature and enjoyed the beauty of the American landscape. This was one of the first stepping stones that finally led to the creation of the National Parks. -
Yosemite Grant Act
In 1864, there was a lot of pressure from prominent naturalists who advocated for the protection of the beautiful wilderness areas of the United States. So on June 30th, President Abraham Lincoln created the Yosemite Grant Act to respond to the pressure. The Yosemite Grant Act protected the land in the Yosemite Valley and helped form some of the foundation for the National Parks Service. -
Yellowstone National Park
After the Yosemite Grant Act, the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act was created by the United States Congress. Congress thought that the Yellowstone National Park could become a place for all Americans to enjoy, however, Native Americans were excluded from the park. The bill was turned into law on March 1st when it was signed by President Ulysses S. Grant and Yellowstone became America's first national park. -
Mackinac National Park
The Mackinac National Park was America's second national park, however, it only existed from 1875 to 1895. The park was placed on Mackinac Island in Michigan and it was created because of the growing popularity of the island as a summer resort. When the park was decommissioned in 1895, it was transferred over to the state of Michigan, which turned it into the Mackinac Island State Park. The new state park was the first of its kind in Michigan. -
Sequoia National Park
The Sequoia National Park was signed into existence by President Benjamin Harrison in 1890 making it the 3rd national park. The Sequoia National Park was the first national park mainly formed to protect a living organism, that living organism being giant sequoia trees. Later in 1940, the Kings Canyon National Park was created by President Roosevelt, but the two parks were so close together that they get maintained together. -
Yosemite National Park
Shortly after the formation of the Sequoia National Park, the Yosemite land finally became a national park. The bill for the park was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison and it quickly became a popular national park. The park is home to natural wonders such as Half Dome and giant sequoia trees. -
Antiquities Act
The Antiquities Act was brought into play on June 8, 1906, by Theodore Roosevelt. The act authorized presidents to reserve/create national monuments in order to protect certain landmarks and areas. For example, the Devil's Tower in Wyoming was the result of Roosevelt using the act to create the first national monument. -
National Park Service
Before the National Park Service was formed, each of the national parks were managed separately. Then on August 25, 1916, the Organic Act was passed by Congress and signed by President Wilson into law. The new agency fell under the United States Department of the Interior and allowed all national parks to finally have a central point of management. -
Reorganization of 1933
The creation of the National Park Service was an amazing step forward in nature preservation, however, in 1933 the service underwent a reorganization. During the reorganization, the parks and monuments that were run by the War Department were transferred to the National Park Service. The service also obtained monuments held by the Forest Service and also obtained responsibility for the parks in the nation's capital. -
Preservation of Historic Sites Act
As the National Park Service continued to grow, the government began to add more acts to increase the service's strength. The Preservation of Historic Sites Act was put into play in order to grant the Secretary of the Interior and the Service permission to conduct research on national historic sites. This helped to restore, preserve, and maintain historical monuments. -
Land and Water Conservation Fund Act
Later down the road in 1964, the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act was established. The purpose of the act was to create a fund that could be used to obtain new recreation lands in existing/new parks. In order to build the fund, the money came from things such as surplus property sales, motorboat fuel taxes, etc. This fund was looked after by the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. -
Wilderness Act of 1964
Shortly following the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act, Congress adopted the Wilderness Act in 1964. The purpose of this act was to form a policy of obtaining wilderness areas for the benefit of both present and future generations. Along with that, the act established the National Wilderness Preservation System. -
National Trails System Act
Congress continued adding acts to the National Park Service, establishing the National Trails System Act in 1968. The addition of this act provided the creation of recreation and scenic trails that would be accessible to urban areas. The recreation trails would be designated by the Secretary of the Interior/Secretary of Agriculture, while the scenic trails would be made by Congress. -
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
Four years later after the Wilderness Act, Congress created the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968. This act was aimed at providing the protection and preservation of certain rivers that were selected based on select values. -
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act was created by Congress in 1973 as yet another addition to the National Park Service. The act required federal agencies to make sure that their activities didn't jeopardize the existence of any endangered animals. It also provided for the study of animals to determine if they were endangered or threatened as a species.