Environmental History Zuck EE2

Environmental History “The history of humanity’s relationships to the environment provides many important lessons that can help us deal with today’s environmental problems and not repeat past mistakes.” -G. Miller

Major human cultural changes 12,000 years ago → hunter-gatherers 10,000-12,000 years ago → agricultural revolution 275 years ago → industrial revolution 50 years ago → information and globalization revolution

Tribal Era Up to early 1600s

Cultural changes have Given us much more energy and new technologies with which to alter and control more of the planet to meet our basic needs and increasing wants.

Cultural changes have: Allowed expansion of the human population, mostly because of increased food supplies and longer life spans.

Cultural changes have: Increased our environmental impact because of increased resource use, pollution, and environmental degradation.

Hunter-gatherers 60,000 year existence Collecting edible wild plant parts, hunting, fishing, and scavenging for meat Worked together to get enough food to survive Many were nomadic Expert knowledge and understanding of their natural surroundings.

Hunter-gatherer discoveries Which plants and animals could be eaten and used as medicines. Where to find water. How plant availability changed throughout the year. How some game animals migrated to get enough food.

Hunter-gatherers Had very little impact on their environment and local ecosystems. Were part of the ecosystem, just like other animals and plants. Did not try to control any part of the environment. They learned to adapt.

Advanced hunter-gatherers Had a greater impact on the environment.

Advanced hunter-gatherers Used more advanced tools and fire to convert forests into grasslands.

Advanced hunter-gatherers Contributed to the extinction of some large animals. ◦E.g. mastodon, sabor-toothed tiger, giant sloth, cave bear, mammoth, and giant bison.

Advanced hunter-gatherers Altered the distribution of plants and animals feeding on such plants as they carried seeds and plants to new areas.

Early and advanced hunter- gatherers Exploited their environment, but impact was limited.

Limited impact Small population sizes Low resource use per person Migration; allowed natural processes to repair most of the damage Lack of technology that could have expanded impact.

Tribal Era North America occupied by 5-10 million tribal people. Until European settlers arrived in early 1600’s. Native Americans were hunter- gatherers.

Tribal Era Native Americans Deep respect for the land and animals Did not believe in land ownership Burned and cleared fields, planted crops.

Frontier Era