Readings in American History: American Environmental History

Although the U.S. has long been thought "nature's nation," scholars have only begun to include the study of human interactions with nature in their study of the American past. This course will examine the history of interactions between human beings and their physical environments in North America, through readings that bring plants, animals, climates, and landscapes as well as human culture, politics, labor, race, and gender into histories of settlement, capitalism, urbanization, region, science, and policy. Readings will also trace the emergence of this new field, and the problems inherent in creating a more inclusive account of the past. 3 hrs sem.