HIS 320 - American Environmental History (3)

Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or permission.

Examines American Environmental History from colonial times to the present. Students who successfully complete this course will gain a deeper understanding of topics such as changing interpretations of nature and resources, the conservation and environmental movements, the roles of art, literature, and culture in American visions of nature, as well as issues of public health, government interaction with the environment, and more recent environmental debates. The primary objective of this course is to explore the question “What is environmental history?” Students will also demonstrate knowledge of major authors and their works and will demonstrate the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of environmental history and its interpretations of human interactions with the environment.