The Environment in American History

From pre-European contact to the present day, people living in what is now the United States have constantly manipulated their environment. The use of natural resources – animals, plants, minerals, water, and land – has produced both prosperity and destruction, reshaping the land and human responses to it. The Environment in American History is a clear and comprehensive account that vividly shows students how the environment played a defining role in the development of American society.

Organized in thirteen chronological chapters, and extensively illustrated, the book covers themes including:



Native peoples’ manipulation of the environment across various regions

The role of Old World livestock and diseases in European conquests

Plantation agriculture and slavery

Westward expansion and the exploitation of natural resources

Environmental influences on the Civil War and World War II

The emergence and development of environmental activism

Industrialization, and the growth of cities and suburbs

Ecological restoration and climate changeEach chapter includes a selection of primary documents, and the book is supported by a robust companion website that provides further resources for students and instructors. Drawing on current scholarship, Jeff Crane has created a vibrant and engaging survey that is a key resource for all students of American environmental history.