EvelynAldana,CyrusSalvani,

TaniaRuizVelasco,CarloSalonga
IsidroNegrete
Period5
APUSHStudyGuide:Environment
IceAge16thCentury:
TheIceAgeallowedforsupposedimmigrantancestorsofNativeAmericanstotravelacross
theBeringIsthmusthatstartedtheslowpeoplingoftheAmericancontinents.
TheendoftheIceAgecausedtheGreatLakestoformandgaveNorthAmericait'srocky
surface.
AgriculturewasthemainstayforearlycivilizationsliketheAztecsandIncansthatcultivated
maizetosustaintheircommunities.
Cultivatingmaizebecameimportantforpopulationgrowthandbecameresponsibleforturning
manynomadichuntingtribesintosettledagriculturalvillagers.
NativeAmericansbelievedintheideaofendowingspiritualpropertiestotheland,theyhadno
desiretopromotedominionovertheland.AmericawassparselypopulatedbyNative
AmericanssotheirenvironmentalimpactwasnotassignificantastheEuropeans.
TheColumbianexchangeinfluencedconsumptioninEuropeandinAmerica,italsoincreased
focusonagriculture.
ThearrivalofSpanishconquistadoresbroughtamechanisticviewoftheenvironmentasthey
begantotakeadvantageofresourcesforexamplemanybecamefurtrappers.
MuchofAmericaremainedunpopulatedandunexploredbuttowardstheendofthe16th
centurymoremigrantsmeantmoreworkersandmoreworkersmeantmorecultivationofthe
landandmoreabuseofthenaturalresources.
17thCentury(1600s):
WhentheEuropeansstartedarrivingmoreandmore,theybegantobringAfricanAmericansto
thenewlyfoundlandstomakethemwork.TheseAfricansbecameslavestothesewhites,who
begantoworkonthelands.
TheseAfricanswereveryinfluentialtotheenvironmentbecausetheywerehard
workerswhoworkedforlongperiodsoftimetogrowcropsthatcouldbetraded.
Whenthe40outof120colonistsfromJamestownarrivedaftertheVirginiaCompanygave
themacharterafteraharshwintertheyhadfaced,theyfacedevenproblemsbecause
Jamestownwasaveryswampyplacetobe.
Someoftheseproblemswereyellowfever,malaria,andpoordrinkingwater.
AfteraseriesofAngloPowhatanwars,JohnRolfeandPocahontasgotmarriedinJamestown
totryandhaverelationsbetweenthewhitesandtheIndians,butitactuallyledtothe
developmentofthecashcrop,tobacco,tobegrownandproducedinthiscolony.
Thiscashcropgreatlyaffectedtheenvironmentandthelandbecauseitcalledupfor
manylandtobetakenupinordertogrowsinceitconsumedmassiveamountsofsoil
whichruinedthelandveryquickly.
AfterthisthecolonyofMarylandwasthenfoundedasasafehavenforCatholicsandfor
religiouspersecution,butitalsoservedasatobaccogrowingcolonywhichaffectedthesoiland
landofthecolony.
Marylandwasabletoprosperwiththegrowingoftobaccoinitandwiththehelpofthe
manyindenturedservantsthathadreplacedtheblackslaves.
WhiletheEuropeanswerecolonizingVirginiatheybegantomovetotheWestIndieswhere
EnglandbegantoclaimsomelandthereafterSpainsdecliningpower.
Attheselands,theEuropeansbegantogrowsugar,andestablishedsugarplantations
whichwereveryharshtowardstheworkersandtheenvironment
TherewereveryharshconditionshereattheWestIndies,andmanydiseaseswere
spreadaroundtoo.AtfirstIndianswerefirstputtogrowthesugarattheseplantations
butdiseasesinthelandskilledoff90percentofthepopulationsoblackslaveswereput
tothejob.
ThecolonyofCarolinawasfoundedin1670andwasnamedaftertheKingCharlesIIwhich
hadtookpowerafterOliverCromwell.
ThiscolonywasverymuchcloseandtiedtothelandsintheWestIndiesandhad
similaroperationsanddutiesoncropsbeinggrowninthecolony.
HeretheEuropeanstookadvantageofthelandandslavestheyhadandbegantogrow
manycropsthatweresuitabletotheenvironment.Someofthesecropsincludedrice,
indigo,andtobacco,whichhadprovedtobeverybeneficialforthecolonies.Like
elsewhere,therewasmuchdiseasegoingaroundthecolonythereforemanyAfrican
slaveswerehiredtoworkthejobsthatmanyotherdead/sickworkersweren'tableto
do.
ThePlantationColonieswereallsimilarinthattheyallhadlotsofforestsandlandwhich
preventedthegrowthofthepopulationandcitiesinthesecolonies.Alsosincemanyofthe
peoplethatlivedinthesecoloniesweresospreadout,schoolsandchurchesweren'tabletobe
builtduetothelackoforganizationandcommunication.
IntheSouthernColoniestheweatherconditionswereveryhot,thetotaloppositeoftheNew
EnglandColonies,andhadtheperfectweatherforgrowingcropseverywhere.
HeretheAfricanslaveswerebeneficialonceagainbecausethecolonieswerefullof
diseasesthathadbeenbroughtfromEurope,andtheywereimmunetothesediseases
whichmadethemabletoworkhardandgrowcropsthatwouldbenefitthe
environment,thepeople,andtheeconomy.
IntheNewEnglandColoniestheweatherconditionswerecoldandfresh,whichwasgoodfor
fishingandworkingintheseaports,andgoodsothatdiseaseswouldn'tbespreadaroundas
muchasintheSouthernColonies.Theriversinthesecolonieswereveryfastandveryshort.
TheseseaportswerefilledwithdiseasesthatwerecarriedonbymanyEuropeanfishermenthat
hadcometothenewlandstocolonize.ThesoilintheNewEnglandColonieswereverymuch
hard,andlackedtheresourcesneededforgrowingcrops,whichledfishingtobethemainstage
inthesecolonies.
18thCentury(1700s):
PreRevolutionaryWar:
Agriculturewasamainstayintheeconomicindustry,involvingabout90%ofthepeople
TobaccocontinuedtobethestaplecashcropinMarylandandVirginia,thoughwheat
cultivationspreadthroughtheChesapeake.Themiddlecoloniesproducedlarge
quantitiesofgrain,earningthenickname,thebreadcolonies.Fishingwasamajor
industryinNewEngland.
Theinfamoustriangulartradeimportedincreasingamountsofslaves,fluctuatingthe
populationsofcitiesandtowns.
Lumberingclearedoutdevastatingamountsofforestterrainaroundthecoloniesto
providewoodmainlyforshipbuildersandcraftsmen.
Dirtpavedroadsintertwinedwiththelandscape,connectingeachofthecolonies.
Whereroadswerewretched,waterwaysandriverswereheavilyreliedon.
Populationtendedtoclusteralongthebanksofnavigablerivers,whichcausedmuch
coastwisetraffic.
AftertheSevenYearsWar,Americansettlerswereeagertoquenchtheirthirstforthe
virginlandsthatopeneduptothemfromthereducedFrenchandSpanishthreat.The
LondongovernmentpassedtheProclamationof1763,whichlimitedAmerican
settlementpasttheAppalachianMountains.
PostRevolutionaryWar:
ThroughtheTreatyofParis,theUnitedStatesweregrantedgenerousboundaries,
stretchingfromtheMississippiRivertothenorthernGreatLakesandtoSpanishFlorida
inthesouth.ThisallowedtheAmericanstofreelyusetheirnewlygranteduntouched
landscapehowevertheyplease.
TheArticlesofConfederationpassedexceedinglyfarsightedlegislationpertainingtothe
OldNorthwest,theareaoflandnorthwestoftheOhioRiver,eastoftheMississippi
River,andsouthoftheGreatLakes.
ThefirstoftheselawswastheLandOrdinanceof1785,whichsplitupthe
OldNorthwestintotownships6squaremileslongeachtownshipcutinto36
sections.
InordertogoverntheOldNorthwest,theConfederationpassedthe
NorthwestOrdinanceof1787.Whenanareacontained60,000inhabitants,it
couldapplyforadmittanceasastatewithalltheprivilegesofthethirteen
originalstates.ItalsoforbadeslaveryintheOldNorthwest.
AlthoughIndianremovalisgenerallyassociatedwiththe1830actofCongress,the
processwasalreadybeginningbythelate1700s.Pressureofwhitesettlementledsmall
partiesofNativeAmericanstomovewestoftheMississippi,andby1807theywere
settlinginArkansas,IndianTerritory,andeastTexas.Theretheycouldhuntandraise
theircrops.Thisvoluntaryremovaltoescapeconflictwithwhitesettlersandgovernment
agentsthusprecededforcedremovals.

19thCentury(1800s):

In1800,NapoleonsecretlyinducedthekingofSpaintocedetheLouisianaterritorytoFrance.
NapoleonofferedtosellNewOrleansandthelandwestofit,Louisiana,forabargainof$15
million,therebyabandoninghisdreamofaFrenchNorthAmericanempire.
Inthespringof1804,JeffersonsentWilliamClarkandMeriwether
Lewistoexplorethisnewterritory.AlongwithaShoshoniwomannamedSacajawea,thetwo
spent21/2yearsexploringtheland,marvelingattheexpansesofbuffalo,elk,deer,antelope,
andthelandscapeandwentallthewaytoOregonandthePacificbeforereturning.
Indianshadwatchedwithincreasingapprehensionasmoreandmorewhitessettledin
Kentucky,atraditionallysacredareawheresettlementandextensivehuntingwasnotallowed
exceptintimesofscarcity.
TecumsehandtheProphet,decidedthatthetimetoactwasnow,andgatheredfollowers
arguingeloquentlyfortheIndianstonotacknowledgetheWhitemansownershipofland,
andurgingthatnoIndianshouldcedecontroloflandtowhitesunlessallIndiansagreed.
TradeconflictsandpressurefromtheWarHawkcongressmenpushedMadisontodeclarewar
againstBritainin1812.
TheIndianRemovalActof1830removedNativeAmericangroupswestoftheMississippi
Riverashesawwasforthebestinterestsforthem.
Thefirstrailroadtrackswerelaidin1829andby1860thetherailroadsconnectedthefar
reachesofthecountryeastoftheMississippiRiver.
CanalsandRoadsbeganmorepopularastheexpansionandimprovementofthemimproved
alongwiththedevelopmentofthesteamboat.
Internalimprovementsdidmuchtoexpandtrade,especiallybetweentheMidwestandeastern
cities.(Ex.ErieCanal)
Therealsobeganahigherdevelopmentoffactoriesasmorechildrenandwomenbeganto
industrializeAmerica.OneofthemostfamousfactoriesoftheerawasthefactoryinLowell,
Massachusetts.Womenandchildrenoftenworkedinunimaginableconditionswithlowwages.
Alongwithfactories,slaveryinthesouthbegantoexpandexponentiallythankstothecottongin
inventedbyEliWhitney.
Slaveryrequiredmuchmoreslavestobeimportedtobesold,thereforeresultinginamuch
higherblackpopulation.About700,000slavesinthesoutheventuallybecame4millionby
1860.
ManifestDestiny,orthebeliefthatitwasGod'splanthattheUnitedStatestakeoverandsettle
theentirecontinent.
AmericanshadbeensettlinginTexasasfarbackasthe1820sandMexicowaseagertoattract
settlerstoit'snorthernfrontier.
TheannexationofTexaswasanimportantfortheMexicanWar(18461848)andMexicowas
furiousthatTexaswantedtobepartoftheUnitedStates.
TheTreatyofGuadalupeHildagosettledthedisputedterritoryinTexasandagreedtosellthe
Mexicancession(California,Nevada,Utah,andpartsofArizona,NewMexico,Colorado,and
Wyoming)for15milliondollars.
TheCaliforniaGoldRushin1848attractedthousandsofpeoplewhocametoCaliforniatotry
tofindgold.Alargepercentageofthe300,000peoplewhomigratedtoCaliforniacamein
1849.
TheCivilWarspurredrapidindustrializationoftheNorth.TheUnionrequiredanenormous
amountofwarmaterialslikeguns,bullets,boots,anduniforms.Manufacturesrosetothe
occasionbyrapidlymodernizingproduction.
Industrializationstimulatedalongperiodofeconomicgrowth,turningtheUnitedStatesintoa
worldpower.
Asrailroadspushedwest,herdsofbuffaloweredecimatedasrailroadworkersandpassengers
wentonakillingspreeofbuffaloforfoodandmostlyforsport.Inamatterofdecades,the
buffaloherdsonthePlainswerevirtuallyexterminated.
TheDawesActof1887abandonedthereservationsystemanddividedtriballandsinto
individuallyownedplots.ThegoalofthispolicywasforNativeAmericanstoassimilateinto
whiteculture.
Afterreconstruction,theexpansionofbigbusinesssoonbegantotakeplaceinAmericaduring
theGildedAge.AndrewCarnegieandJohnD.Rockefellerwerefamousfortheirexpansionof
theirbusinesses.
Organizedlaborbegantoriseaspeoplebegantofeelcheatedforhowtheybeingtreatedin
factories.Theydemandedbetterpayandbetterworkingconditions,
TheGreatRailroadStrikeof1877wasaresultofthefactorydemandinga10percentcutand
asaresultfollowed100,000railroadworkersonstrike.
OtherstrikesincludeTheHaymarketIncident,theHomesteadStrike,andthePullmanStrike.
Also,duringthistimeperiod,amajornewsourceoflabortoworkinAmericanfactorieswere
immigrantsfromsouthernandEasternEurope.Anestimated20millionpeoplefromRussia,
Italy,Polandandothercountries.
Suchimmigrationresultedinnativismtoimmigrantswhowereconsideredinferior.Alsothe
ChineseExclusionActof1882.Laterinthe1920sthegovernmentimposedquotason
immigrantsthagreatlyreducedtheoverallnumberofimmigrantsallowedintotheUnitedStates.
TheUnitedStatesbegantoannexHawaiiforit'smassivesugarplantationsandpineapplesthe
islandswereannexedin1898.
TheUnitedStatesalsotookadvantageofCubaandthePhilippinesforitsnaturalresources
whilegivingthemdemocracy.

20thCentury(1900s):

PreWWI
Bythistime,Americanshadalreadyusedupmostofthenaturalresources.Theydidnt
thinktheywouldeverrunout.
TheodoreRooseveltpassestheAmericanAntiquitiesActof1906,whichwouldprotect
manynaturallandmarks,makingthemnationalparks.Atthattime,heproclaimed18
nationalparks,themostfamousbeingYosemiteNationalPark.
HealsopassedtheNewlandsActof1902,whichauthorizedthegovernmenttosell
desertland,buttousethosefundsforirrigationprojectsinthatterritory.
TheRooseveltDamwasbuiltin1911onArizonasSaltRiver.
JohnMuirpublishesOurNationalParks,gainingmoresupportfortheconservationof
forestsandnature.
GiffordPinchotwasafederalofficerinchargeoftheforestryconservationandreallyled
theconservationmovements.
Sincethe1890s,therewasagreatinfluxofeasterneuropeanimmigrants,causingthe
populationtoincreasesignificantly.Thisleadtosomecitiesbeingoverpopulated.The
overpopulationledtothecreationofslums.
Theprogressivistsstarttoprotesttheunsanitaryconditionsoftheslumsandthe
dumbbelltenements,whichwereveryfilthyandcauseddiseasetospreadquickly.
JacobRiisdescribestheterribleconditionsoftheslumsinhisbooktitledHowthe
OtherHalfLive.
AfterthepublicationofUptonSinclairsTheJungle,manyweredisgustedwiththe
meatindustry,includingthepresident.ThatpromptedhimtopasstheMeatInspection
ActandthePureFoodandDrugAct.
PostWW1
DuringWWI,theU.S.focusedmostofitsresourcesonthewareffort.
Afterthewar,theeconomygrewexponentially.Peoplewentonadecadelong
shoppingspree.Partofthisspreewastheautomobilebusinessthriving.Thisiswhenthe
useofgasoline(oil)startedtoincrease.
BecausegasolinestartedtobecomeessentialtoAmericanLife,Oilcompaniesand
reservessprungupeverywhere.Thewildernessbegantobeindustrialized.Airpollution
begantogetworsefromthispointon.
GreatDepression
Thedepressionwasabadtimeforamericans.
Dryfarmingtechniquesandovercultivationcausedtheerosionofdirtandtherefore
causedtheduststorms.
Agriculturewasdoingpoorlysincethemidwestwasgoingthroughadustbowlthat
lastedyears.Verylittlecropswereabletobegrown,andtheendlessduststorms
affectednotonlythecropsbutalsothepeople.
Whenthestockmarketcrashed,manyfamilieswereleftwithnothing.Small
Hoovervilleswerecreatedinmanycities,whichwerepoorfamilieslivinginhouses
madeoutofscraps.Thesewerelikesmalllittleslums.Diseasewasrampantamong
thesesmalllittletowns.
TheHooverDamwasbuiltin1931forthepurposeofirrigatingthedesertlandandthe
plainsthatweregoingthroughthoseduststorms.
F.D.R.orderedtheconstructionoftheTennesseeValleyAuthoritytoprovidejobsand
cheapelectricalpowertonearbytownsandcities.Itnotonlyprovidedthat,butalso
replenishedthesoilandrecoveredtheerodedsoil.
TheCivilianConservationCorpswerecreatedtohavemorejobsforthepeople,butit
reallyhelpedtheUnitedStateswildlife.Theyreforestedareas,foughtfires,helped
controlfloods,etc.
SoilConservationActwasthatthegovernmentpaidfarmerstoplantcropsthatwould
replenishthenitratesinthesoilorlettheirlandliefallow.
WW2
WorldWarIIwasatotalwarmeaningthatalloftheresourcesandlaborgotowards
thewar.Duringthistime,theU.S.rationedmostoftheproducts.
Therewasalowerspeedlimitandmanywereencouragedtocarpool.Thatway
gascouldbesavedandusedforthewar.
VictoryGardensweregrownsothatfamiliescouldgrowtheirownproduce,
andtheonesinthemarketcouldbesenttothetroopsoverseas.
Grease,metalscraps,rubberandotherthingsweresenttomakeweaponsand
armor.
Thiswarreallycausedadentinthepopulation.Overamillionsoldiersweredeador
wounded.
PostWWII
AfterWWII,thepopulationincreasedenormously.Thiswasababyboom,anditgave
birthtothebiggestAmericangenerationthebabyboomers.
Thiswasthepeakofsuburbanization.Hundredsofsuburbareaswerecreated.Millions
ofamericansmovedtothesuburbs,leavingurbancitiestobecomefilledwithlower
incomeminorities.
Energybecameverycheapduringthistimegaspriceswereverylow.Thisprompted
theexcessiveconsumptionofgasoline.
TheairqualityoftheU.S.woulddeclineandkeepdoingsountilthepresent.
JohnKennethGalbraithpublishedTheAffluentSocietyin1958.Inthesebooks,he
spokeofaconcernforthisnewkindofsociety,thathadmoneybutwaspollutingtheair
andhadnoconcernfortheenvironmentalconsequencesoftheirconsumption.
Inthe1970s,manyfederalagencieswerecreatedtoprotecttheenvironment.For
exampletherewasEPA(EnvironmentalProtectionAgency).Thisagencywascreated
tofocusonsolvingandaidingenvironmentalproblemssuchasairpollutionandtoxic
waste.
RachelCarsonpublishedSilentSpringinordertobringattentiontothehazardthat
somepesticidesaretonotonlyhumansbuttonatureitself.Thiscausedthebanningof
variouspesticides,includingDDT.Herbookalsobroughtmoreattentiontothe
problemsoftheenvironment.
TheCleanAirActsetemissionstandardsforcars,andlimitsofreleaseofairpollutants.
Ithelpedimprovethehealthofamericansanditimprovedtheconditionsofthe
environment.
TheEndangeredSpeciesActidentifiesthreatenedandendangeredspeciesintheUS,
andputstheirprotectionaheadofeconomicconsiderations.Itprotectedthresholdand
endangeredspeciesanddirectedtheFWStopreparerecoveryplans.RichardNixon
enactedin1973.Recognizesthevalueofspecieshabitat.Itauthorizesdesignationof
criticalhabitatandcallsforrecoveryplansforlistedspecies.Enactedin1973it
recognizesthevalueofspecieshabitat.Itauthorizesdesignationofcriticalhabitatand
callsforrecoveryplansforlistedspecies.Legislationdesignedtoprotectspeciesin
dangerofextinction.
Therewasahugeenergycrisisinthemid1970s.Becauseofaproblemwiththe
MiddleEast,theU.S.didnthavemuchoil.Therewasamajorgasshortage,andthe
americanpeoplewereabitonedge.Gaslineswereenormous,priceswereoverthe
roof,gasstationsclosedearly,andtherewasalowerspeedlimit.
Therewasalsosomecontroversywithhavingnuclearpowerplants.Theystillexistall
overtheworld,buttheyarethoughttobetoodangeroushereintheU.S.Todaythereis
fewormaybenonuclearpowerplants.
Mostoftheprogramssetinthe1970shavecontinueduntilthepresent.Butthe
conditionoftheenvironmenthavegottenworseandglobalwarmingisbecominga
seriousissue,evenbefore2000hits.
Environmentalissuesarenotapriorityinlegislation,sotheyareputonthebackburner
andenvironmentalprogramshavereceivedseverefinancialcuts.

21thCentury(2000Now):

UnderGeorgeW.Bush'sadministrationhechallengedscientificfindingsongroundwater
contaminationandglobalwarmingandalsorepudiatedtheKyotoTreatylimitinggreenhousegas
emissionsin2001.BushalsoadvocatednewoilexplorationintheArcticNationalWildlife
RefugeonAlaska'secologicallyfragilenorthcoast.VicePresidentCheneywasalsoallowedto
handletheadministration'senergypolicywithbehindclosedoorsmeetingswithrepresentatives
ofgiantoilcompanies.
Althoughpopulationgrowthstabilizedconsumptionofgoodsaswellasnaturalresourceshad
greatlyincreased.
Increasedtechnologicaladvancementandindustrializationhavecausedecologicaldangersthat
makearesponsiblestewardshipofafragileplanetmoreurgentthanever.
ThegrowthofcitiesandsuburbschangedAmerica'senvironment.Suburbsbegantodevelop
everywhere,inringsaroundbigcitieslikeNewYorkandChicagoandindesertlikelandscapes
likeNewMexicoandLasVegas.
SuburbsgrowingintheWestandSouthwestplacedalargerburdenonresourcesbecauseof
theneedtocreatealivableenvironmentofamilie,thisrequiredmuchenergyforairconditioning
andplentyofwater.
UrbandevelopmentoccurredwithmajorcityrenewallikeSanFranciscoandLosAngelesthat
influencedthesociallandscapesurroundingthem.
Environmentalworriescontinuedascoalfiredelectricalgeneratingplantshelpedformacidrain
andcontributedtothegreenhouseeffect,deepeningtheglobalwarmingproblem.
Hamperingthedevelopmentofnuclearpowerplantswastheinsolesproblemofradioactive
wastedisposal.
Initialecologicalfearshadleadtomainstreampublicfascinationwithsolarpowerandwindmills,
methanefuel,electric"hybrid"cars,andahydrogenfuelcellenergyconservationwasnowon
thehorizon.