HIST 270 History of American Environmental Thought

Advice from last semester's students about how to succeed in the course

Essential Course Documents

• Syllabus 
• UPDATED COURSE SCHEDULE
• How to Take Good Notes
  
• How to Write a Primary Source Analysis Paper & Model Paper (Workshop II)
• Extra Credit Format 
• Essay Grading Rubric

• Final Exam--Take Home Essay Prompt

Local Environmental History Project

• Advice from Spring 2011 students about how to execute a successful project
• Local Environmental History Resource Guide
• Keys to a Successful Project
• Research Reports:  Report I (due 3/30); Report II (due 4/16)
• Presentation Outline and Annotated Bibliography
• Final Research Report

Web Readings/Screenings

Part II

Mar. 20:

Leopold Excerpts

Apr. 3:

Merchant, Shades of Darkness

Bullard, Dumping in Dixie

Apr. 17:

Primary Source Workshop VI

Apr. 19:

William Cronon, The Trouble with Wilderness

May 3:

David Nye, Technology, Nature, & American Origin Stories

Part I

Jan. 26

Reading the Local Landscape Assignment (Do Part I BEFORE doing the readings!)

Pierce Lewis, "Axioms for Reading a Landscape"

Jan. 31

Primary Source Workshop I

Charles Mann, "Dawn of the Homogenocene"

Feb. 2

Primary Source Workshop II

Feb. 9

Alan Taylor, "Wasty Ways: Stories of American Settlement"

Thomas Bender, "The Rural Cemetery Movement"

Feb. 14

Primary Source Workshop III--THESE sources are the basis for your first Primary Source Analysis Paper.  For the format and expectations for this paper, please see the link above "How to Write a Primary Source Analysis Paper."

Feb. 23

Primary Source Workshop IV

Mar. 6

Primary Source Workshop V

Primary Source Workshop V Sources 4 & 5 + bonus