American history Changes in the Land Book Report on William Cronon, Changes in the Land As humanity moves into the era of the anthropocene, Americans are g
American history Changes in the Land Book Report on William Cronon, Changes in the Land
As humanity moves into the era of the anthropocene, Americans are going to have
to think more and more about our relationship with nature.
Changes in the Land is a classic in the field of environmental history. When it first
came out in 1983, it was transformative in seeing ecology as playing a significant role
in shaping the history of early New England. Cronon did what few had before: he
viewed trees, lichens, and rivers as historical sources.
As you are reading, make a running list of all the ways that Cronon describes how
humans transformed the ecology of early New England, and then make a second list
detailing how that changed ecology then shaped human behavior in the colonial
period.
Pick the best example from each list and write a 3-4 page, double-spaced, 12 point
font, stapled paper that develops an argument that the intersection between
humans and the environment that you chose is the most important thing to
understanding what happened between natives and colonists in 1600s New England.
Who or what does Cronon ultimately blame for things going so wrong? Name that
culprit in your paper. Your conclusion should discuss what Cronon sees as the real
problem.
