Environment in American History

<p>From pre-European contact to the present day people living in what is now the United States have constantly manipulated their environment. The use of natural resources – animals plants minerals water and land – has produced both prosperity and destruction reshaping the land and human responses to it. <i>The Environment in American History</i> is a clear and comprehensive account that vividly shows students how the environment played a defining role in the development of American society.</p><p>Organized in thirteen chronological chapters and extensively illustrated the book covers themes including:</p><ul> <p> </p> <li>Native peoples’ manipulation of the environment across various regions</li> <p> </p> <li>The role of Old World livestock and diseases in European conquests</li> <p> </p> <li>Plantation agriculture and slavery</li> <p> </p> <li>Westward expansion and the exploitation of natural resources</li> <p> </p> <li>Environmental influences on the Civil War and World War II</li> <p> </p> <li>The emergence and development of environmental activism</li> <p> </p> <li>Industrialization and the growth of cities and suburbs</li> <p> </p> <li>Ecological restoration and climate change</li> </ul><p>Each chapter includes a selection of primary documents and the book is supported by a robust companion website that provides further resources for students and instructors. Drawing on current scholarship Jeff Crane has created a vibrant and engaging survey that is a key resource for all students of American environmental history.</p>