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Welcome to Environmental History! By examining the interaction of people and environment on the North American continent from the 15^th century to the present, we will see how history “takes place” in ecological contexts that change over time. You will compare Native American and Euro-American religious beliefs, social values, economic aspirations, and technological developments and examine their consequences for the flora, fauna, and peoples of the continent. The spread of the Euro-American ecoscape is of particular interest.

Specific Goals: You will learn about the environmental history of the United States. You will become familiar with the concept of the ecoscape and learn how to use it in a variety of contexts. You will begin to develop your own position on issues in environmental history. You will learn how to integrate personal experience and academic argument.

Skills: You will learn how to summarize, critically assess, and construct effective arguments, both textual and visual. You will learn how to analyze and employ a variety of primary sources, including: text, audio, maps, images, cinema, internet. You will learn how to present your ideas in public through writing, presentations and in-class discussion. You will learn and develop your research skills.

In the following grade scale, the grade is centered at the number following it. That is, if you received an 83, it would count as a high B-. Similarly, an 84 would be a low B.

Note that essays and papers are not graded by starting with 100 points and subtracting points for errors. Rather, each paper or essay is weighed on its overall merits, judged to be falling within a given grade range, and the number assigned accordingly. Moreover, comments on written work will focus on major and/or typical problems or strengths; they will not itemize every flaw or contribution.

If you have questions about how to improve your work, I will be happy to meet with you during office hours. You can also contact me by phone, email, or in person to arrange an appointment.

To calculate your grade, take the number out of a hundred each assignment earned, then multiply by the relevant percentage, then add the results.

Example: Participation, 88/100; Presentation, 88/100; Reactions (averaged), 82/100; Analysis, 84/100; Family EH, 88/100; Class EH, 86/100; Final, 87/100.

Thus: (88x.25)+(88x.10)+(82x.15)+(85x.10)+(88x.10)+(85x.20)+(88x.10) = 86.2 = B

Participation: You are expected to attend all sections of class, barring emergencies. Beyond attendance, you will be assessed on how well you contribute to class discussion and work. This includes commenting on and asking questions about the reading, and responding thoughtfully and respectfully to others in the class. All students are expected to participate regularly in class discussions and to keep up with the reading and other assignments. If you have concerns about your ability to meet this requirement, please see me as soon as you can.

Presentation : Each of you will be responsible for presenting one reading to the class as part of a small group. Presentations will summarize the argument of the reading in question, offer an assessment of the material, link it to the weekly topic, and provide questions and topics for discussion. Each group of presenters will create an outline of the materials and questions to hand out to the rest of the class. You will turn this in instead of your weekly reaction for that week. GROUP WORK

Weekly Reading Reactions: (1-2 pages) At the beginning of every week each of you will turn in a short paper in which the reading for that week is summarized and assessed. You should also include several questions for discussion. You may, if you wish, add a brief paragraph summarizing your personal reaction to the readings; this section will not be graded and doesn’t count toward the page total.

Primary Source Analysis : (4-5 pages) For this paper, you will select a primary source which deals with the environmental history of Minnesota in some way. You may use the sources discussed in class as models, but you must find your own primary source for this assignment. You will describe this source, explain where you found it and how, place it in historical context, and explain what it can (or cannot) tell us about the environmental history of Minnesota. A copy of the source must be included along with your paper (if you are planning to use a film or television source, see me first). If you wish, you may add an extra section giving your personal reaction to the source; this will not be graded, and it will not count toward the page total. Due 28 September .

“My Environmental History” : (5-7 pages) For this paper, you will research and write an environmental history of your family and/or yourself. This will require you to think about what an “environmental history” means in general, and what it means for you and your family in particular. Consideration of your relationships to the non-human world and a sense of the larger historical context and significance are essential. The course readings offer examples of different ways of writing about the connection between one’s personal experience of the environment and larger environmental histories; you are encouraged to use them as models for organizing your thoughts. Due 26 October .

Environmental History (Class Project) : As a class, we will work together to produce an environmental history on a topic of your choice. The format and focus of this history will be determined by the class as a whole (within guidelines set out by me, and contingent on my approval), and then we will figure out what tasks must be undertaken to complete it. We will work at our respective tasks over the course of the semester, with the goal of producing a history that can be shared with others. To encourage cooperation, the entire class will share the grade for the final result. GROUP WORK Due 5 December .

Final Exam: The final exam will assess what you have learned as a result of taking this course. Part of it will assess your familiarity with the readings; part of it will test your comprehension of important themes and elements in American environmental history; and part of it will ask you to reflect at greater length on what you have learned in this course.

Friday, 7 September

Introduction to course and each other
In-Class Assignment: What Does “Environmental History” Mean to You?

Week 2: The Columbian Exchange Begins
Readings: Nature’s Nation: Introduction, Chapter 1.
Cronon, Changes in the Land: Chapters 1-4.

Monday, 10 September

Reading Response Due
Discussion of environmental history and class project

Assign duties for class project

Week 3: An Agricultural World
Readings: Nature’s Nation: Chapter 2.
Cronon, Changes in the Land: Chapters 5-8.

Monday, 17 September

Presentation
Reading Response Due

Friday, 21 September

Week 4: Rationalizing the Ecoscape
Readings: Nature’s Nation: Chapters 3-4.
Thoreau, “Walking”
Carolyn Merchant, “Introduction: What Is Radical Ecology?”
(In preparation for personal environmental history research.)

Monday, 24 September

Presentation
Reading Response Due

Friday, 28 September

PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS DUE

Week 5: Divinity in the Wilderness
Readings: Nature’s Nation: Chapters 5-6.
Emerson, “Nature”
Cronon, Nature’s Metropolis, Prologue and Part I (Chapters 2 and 3)

Monday, 1 October

Presentation
Reading Response Due

Friday, 5 October

Week 6: Building a National Ecoscape
Readings: Nature’s Nation: Chapter 7.
Cronon, Nature’s Metropolis, Part II (Chapters 3-5)

Monday, 8 October

Presentation
Reading Response Due

Friday, 12 October

Week 7: Building a National Ecoscape, Part II
Readings Nature’s Nation: Chapter 8.
Cronon, Nature’s Metropolis. Part III (Chapters 6-8), Epilogue

Monday, 15 October

Presentation
Reading Response Due

Friday, 19 October

FALL BREAK 20-23 October

Week 8: Building a National Ecoscape, Part III
Readings: Nature’s Nation: Chapter 9.
Reisner, Cadillac Desert, Introduction, Chapters 1-5.

Monday -- NO CLASS

Wednesday, 24 October

Reading Response Due
Presentation

MY ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY DUE

Week 9: Controlling Nature
Readings: Nature’s Nation: Chapter 10.
Reisner, Cadillac Desert, Chapters 6-9.

Monday, 29 October

Presentation
Reading Response Due

Friday, 2 November

Week 10: Controlling Nature?
Readings: Nature’s Nation:
Chapter 11, “Hitting the Wall,” pp. 344-68.
Reisner, Cadillac Desert, Chapters 10-12, Epilogue, Afterword

Monday, 5 November

Presentation
Reading Response Due

Friday, 9 November

Week 11: The Ecological Indian
Readings: Nature’s Nation: Chapter 12.
Krech, Ecological Indian: Introduction, Chapters 1-4
Chief Seattle Speech(es)

Monday, 12 November

Presentation
Reading Response Due

Friday, 16 November

Week 12: The Seeds of Earth Day Sprout
Readings: Nature’s Nation: Chapter 13.
Krech, Ecological Indian: Chapters 5-7, Epilogue.

Monday, 19 November

Presentation
Reading Response Duep

Wednesday -- NO CLASS

Friday -- NO CLASS

Week 13: Environmental Distopia
Readings: Nature’s Nation: Chapter 14.
Davis, Ecology of Fear: Chapters 1-3.

Monday, 26 November

Presentation
Reading Response Due

CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL -- 29 November - 2 December

Friday, 30 November -- CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

Week 14: Distopia or Ecotopia?
Readings: Nature’s Nation: Chapter 15.
Davis, Ecology of Fear: Chapters 4-5.
(Chapters 6-7 optional).

Monday, 3 December

Reading Response Due

CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY DUE

Return to first in-class essay: write response on it instead of on readings.

Week 15: Thinking Back over the Semester
Re-read first papers and comment on changes since then

Monday, 10 December -- LAST DAY OF CLASS

“Thinking Back” Paper Due -- discussion

FINAL EXAMS -- 13-29 December

NOTE: We may have a take-home final in lieu of an in-class exam. It is your responsibility to attend class regularly so as to be aware of any possible changes, and to check with me if you are unsure about materials covered in class or miss a section due to illness.

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