Paywuar

Environmental Events Relevant to US History

By ChristianGross

  • Jamestown is Founded

    Jamestown is Founded
    What is now known as the Northeastern United States is landed upon by English settlers, the first of many, many steps leading to the deforestation and molestation of the new, resource rich continent.

  • Benjamin Franklin Born

    Benjamin Franklin Born
    The first famous person who advocated for keeping the United States environment clean was Benjamin Franklin. He made sure to fight for proper sanitation services and clean water in Philadelphia.

  • Benjamin Franklin - Early Conservationalist

    Benjamin Franklin - Early Conservationalist
    Benjamin Franklin and colleagues work to stop waste dumping in Dock Creek in Philadelphia’s commercial district by petitioning the party responsible, the Philadelphia Assembly.

  • William Bartram's Adventure

    William Bartram's Adventure
    William Bartram walks through the Southeastern United States to write about the wildlife and wilderness from Florida to the Mississippi. His book became one of the first "classics" in American culture.

  • Newfoundland Fishing Rights

    Newfoundland Fishing Rights
    The new country uses its little political sway to get control over important environment, in this case, Newfoundland's fisheries, as they were the main place were the Northeastern US got their cod from.

  • Northwest Ordinance First Passed

    Northwest Ordinance First Passed
    The first unified territory - the Northwest Territory - is created by the new government. Makes the land more managable by the government and also its citizens.

  • George Washington Signs in a More Powerful NW Ordinance

    George Washington Signs in a More Powerful NW Ordinance
    With new clauses about how new territories can be admitted as states, this ordinance kicks off the upcoming westward expansion the United States is famous for.

  • Cotton Gin Invented

    Cotton Gin Invented
    With efficiency now at an all time high, American farmers neglect the land's health for the short term profit of cotton farming.

  • Louisiana Purchase

    Louisiana Purchase
    828,000 square miles stretching from Mississippi all the way to Idaho. This great deal of land massively increases the US landmass - expands into new environments.

  • Lewis and Clark Expedition

    Lewis and Clark Expedition
    The animals and plantlife of the new Louisiana Territory get documented in this state-of-the-art expedition.

  • Erie Canal Constructed

    Erie Canal Constructed
    The first real manipulation of the American environment to facilitate trade - specifically trade in New York.

  • First Edition of Birds of America Published

    First Edition of Birds of America Published
    Europe finally gets a good look into the greatness which is the American wilderness. Improves the foreign view of America through its environment.

  • Hudson River School of Art

    Hudson River School of Art
    The first influential American art - completely inspired by the amazing environment. Helped put America on the map culturally.

  • "Nature" written by Emerson

    "Nature" written by Emerson
    The first famous transcendentalist essay - asserts that we can only understand life through the study of nature.

  • "Walden" published by Henry Thoreau

    "Walden" published by Henry Thoreau
    Another famous transcendentalist piece, "Walden" recounts the experience of Thoreau's two years in the forest neat Walden Pond. Encourages reverence of nature and inspired conservationalism of the US environment in later years.

  • US Department of Agriculture established

    US Department of Agriculture established
    Because 90% of the United States still lives of the environment, it is necessary for an agricultural department to support farmers.

  • Homestead Act Passed

    Homestead Act Passed
    Encourages western settlement and use of the west coast's environment.

  • Arbor Day founded

    Arbor Day founded
    After years of expansion into the heart of America, the preservation of nature is starting to be prioritized. The first issue attacked is the lack of trees where great forests used to be.

  • Where The Buffalo [Don't] Roam

    Where The Buffalo [Don't] Roam
    President Grant vetoes a conservation bill to save the buffalo. The US environmental diversity suffers because of it.

  • Chicago - The Smoky City

    Chicago - The Smoky City
    Along with Cincinatti, Chicago implements the first anti - smoke laws, although they were poorly enforced.

  • Forest Reserve Act passes Congress.

    Forest Reserve Act passes Congress.
    Over 17.5 million acres were set aside by the government for conservational purposes.

  • New Deal Programs help infrastructure and environment

    New Deal Programs help infrastructure and environment
    Roosevelt's New Deal helps the nation's people by putting them to work on neglected projects. The environment and the general population prosper.

  • Beginning of the Dust Bowl

    Beginning of the Dust Bowl
    Poor farming practices and disregard for the land leads to erosion on a massive scale. Shows why environment should be cared for.

  • US Congress passes Clean Air Act

    US Congress passes Clean Air Act
    The government puts tax dollars to work at investigations of air conditions at all levels. More conservation of the environment.