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US Environmental History Class at CSW
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#Post#: 281--------------------------------------------------
#3: Cronon and Merchant Continued...
By: TeacherRachel Date: February 14, 2019, 1:15 pm
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Please actively read "Using Environmental History" by William
Cronon and "Interpreting Environmental History" by Carolyn
Merchant (pp.7-12). Also look through the quotes on pp.13-16.
Revisit these readings, get really clear on them. Flesh out your
thinking of your own definition of Environmental History in a
paragraph. Use this paragraph to consider not just the goals and
topics of Environmental History, but also the methods and
sources that you believe it requires. Please post your
definition and paragraph on the forum and respond directly to
someone else's (you might need to post twice).
#Post#: 282--------------------------------------------------
Re: #3: Cronon and Merchant Continued...
By: jbass Date: February 14, 2019, 3:29 pm
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Environmental history is a revisionist history that uses the
dialectic method to further our understanding of the past. Using
knowledge of the enviroment around us we are able to get a
better understanding on how events took place. Similar to
microhistory, using different documents and knowledge of the
enviroment we can create a new understanding on how the
enviroment has changed as well as how it was the cause of
different historical events. Being that the enviroment is always
a component it makes sense that we are looking at it as a reason
for development or decline.
#Post#: 283--------------------------------------------------
Re: #3: Cronon and Merchant Continued...
By: samfarley Date: February 14, 2019, 4:09 pm
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Environmental History is the study of how the environment plays
an active role in the history of the earth, and how natural
occurrences have shaped modern human history. The environment is
tied to issues of class, gender, and race, as these differences
impact people’s individual relationships with nature and the
environment as a whole. One of the goals of this way of studying
history is to more better understand the lives of marginalized
people and those on the fringes of society, instead of the usual
study of history, which often just deals with those in positions
of power and favor. In order to do this, nonconventional means
must be taken to gain these different perspectives, and we have
to have an open mind as to what will become our historical
documents. One example of this is studying the earth itself and
nature as a part of a greater history, because these factors
play into how history has played out.
#Post#: 284--------------------------------------------------
Re: #3: Cronon and Merchant Continued...
By: ngood Date: February 14, 2019, 4:36 pm
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Much of my definition echoes both Josh and Sam’s work:
Environmental history seeks to create a dialogue between
humanity/culture and nature/environment, as to ignore nature as
an actor in history is to see the past through an incomplete
lense. In addition, there is also meaning to be found from how
this relationships affects people differently depending on their
race, class, gender, sex, etc.
Adding to this, I would like to draw on some specific points
from Cronon and Worster:
The field rests between two seemingly disparate fields, and an
environmental historian must find a balance between the
historian’s tendency towards linear time and disruption versus
the environmentalist’s tendency towards circular time and
stasis. The environmental historian may use these two
perspectives in addition to those of the anthropologist, natural
scientist, and theologian.
#Post#: 285--------------------------------------------------
Re: #3: Cronon and Merchant Continued...
By: asantello Date: February 14, 2019, 6:34 pm
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Environmental history is the way in which nature evolves based
on its own eco-systems. Also how it evolves based on outside
influences (mainly people). And how outside systems (mainly
people) evolve based on nature. This can manifest in different
forms, some of the ways the authors mention are, the
domestication of animals, how people adapt to their environments
based on resources and outside risks. Also how the environment
has impacted different groups of people.
To me the most interesting aspect is how it goes both ways, in
which it encompasses how people have affected the environment
And vise versa.
Josh’s point about how it is used to look at development and
decline was something I hadn’t been able to put into words. I
like how he concisely summed up it’s relation to major
historical events throughout history.
#Post#: 286--------------------------------------------------
Re: #3: Cronon and Merchant Continued...
By: Ahmed_A Date: February 14, 2019, 6:55 pm
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Environmental History is a branch of Revisionist History driven
morally as well scholarly. It studies the influence of nature on
the human condition, and conversely, the effect of civilization
on nature. Much like in other branches of Revisionist History
(ie. Microhistory, and cultural specific history), Environmental
historians look to broaden their perspectives with a variety of
sources. Such sources include scientific data gathered by
ecologists and geologists, and historical records alike. In
terms of a pure, unbiased, academic subject, Environmental
History assures that nature’s role is not neglected in the study
of causality in past events; for natural assurances play a major
role in the cause and effect of human history. On the other
hand, Environmentalists would argue that the study of the
relation between humans and nature should be a moral obligation
rather than doing it solely for the sake of knowledge. After
all, the analogy of human civilizations being parasites to the
Earth is not far from the truth.[font=georgia][/font]
#Post#: 287--------------------------------------------------
Re: #3: Cronon and Merchant Continued...
By: nanaafiaba Date: February 14, 2019, 7:16 pm
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Environmental history is the revisionist, cross-disciplinary
study of nature itself in relation to historical and present
times. Environmental history investigates the influence of
humanity on our ecosystems and lands, as well as the influence
of our ecosystems and lands on humanity. In order to facilitate
this research, environmental historians must look to understand
the perceptions, ethics, laws, and myths that have been
instilled by human culture. Environmental history must also be
analyzed through a racial, socioeconomic, and gender lens for
certain groups of people tend to interact with the environment
uniquely. Race, class, and gender are, in addition, especially
crucial to keep in mind for it is these social constructs that
lead to the betterment or degradation of the Earth.
Moreover, environmental history seeks to reflect on humanity and
the consequences of our prior and consecutive actions. It looks
to expose the bounteous layers of human existence, to help us
comprehend the past, but to also help us change the future.
Environmental history consists of the study and history of
ecology, ethics, literature, religion, science, and weather. No
environmental historian can confidently confine themselves to
absolute subjects, laws, or truths, for these can overshadow the
numerous environments and cultures that exist. All of human
history contains a natural aspect, thus environmental history is
human history.
#Post#: 288--------------------------------------------------
Re: #3: Cronon and Merchant Continued...
By: nanaafiaba Date: February 14, 2019, 7:25 pm
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Addie, I really appreciate the specificity you included in your
definition. It is important to note, as you said, the
domestication of animals was one way people's relationship with
nature evolved. The domestication of animals changed the human
purpose and life forever. People were finally able to travel
further distances, build resistance to diseases, and much more.
I did not include this in my definition so I am thankful that
you reminded me of this point.
#Post#: 289--------------------------------------------------
Re: #3: Cronon and Merchant Continued...
By: amacdonald Date: February 14, 2019, 7:47 pm
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Environmental history is revisionist history in the sense that
historians and scholars challenge/introduce the idea of nature’s
effect on issues pertaining to gender, class, and race. It is
the study about how nature has been integral in shaping mankind
and vice versa. It is the idea that humans that found themselves
in different places progressed at different rates not because of
the differences amongst themselves, but because of the
differences that their environments presented them. Their
constraints ultimately led to the beginning of civilizations and
the invention of new technologies.
In response to Addie
I totally agree about how nature evolves due to outside sources
(mainly people) and how outside sources (mainly people) evolve
due to the constraints that nature presents.
#Post#: 290--------------------------------------------------
Re: #3: Cronon and Merchant Continued...
By: zwalker2020 Date: February 14, 2019, 7:52 pm
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Environmental history is a type of revisionist history that
explores the various relations that exist between the natural
world and the history of all of humanity. It studies how these
interactions between the two subjects have existed and changed
over time, and emphasizes the important role that nature has in
all of human history. It rejects the belief that humanity has
created its own society with no influence from nature, and
instead proves that the opposite is the truth, where humanity
wouldn't be what it is today without changes that have happened
within the natural world, whether these changes can be blamed on
human influence or not. It seeks to illustrate how a potential
partnership between the environment and human society can
benefit the world as a whole. These two subjects at this point
depend on one another to continue on.
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