The+Conservation+Movement

=**The Conservation Movement** = = =
 * Key People and Terms that must be researched: ** Teddy Roosevelt, John Muir, Gifford Pinchot, Sierra Club, National Parks, National Reclamation Act

= = =** Step One: ** Use the textbook and internet sources to research information about your movement. Include dates when appropriate. = = = Text Resources: pages 322 – 324 =Internet Sources:= = = = = = = = National Reclamation Act of 1902, aka Newlands Act: money from the sale of public lands in the West funded large-scale irrigation projects such as the Roosevelt Dam. = = = =** Supreme Court Decisions: ** None =
 * The Evolution of the Conservation Movement from the Library of Congress
 * The Conservation Movement from the Wisconsin Historical Society
 * Problems that needed to be solved: **
 * 1) American environment was being exploited
 * 2) Farmers leveled forests and plowed up the prairies
 * 3) Over-grazing of cattle
 * 4) Coal mining operations stripped land and left refuse
 * 5) Logging operations impacted flood control
 * 6) Cities dumped untreated sewage and industrial waste into waterways
 * Reformers, Reform Organizations, methods and their accomplishments: **
 * 1) President Teddy Roosevelt, Progressive President
 * 2) conservationist
 * 3) Set aside some land for forest preserves, national parks, and land for water and mineral resources
 * 4) Other land parcels and water resources would be used to provide water to farmland
 * 5) John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club
 * 6) Was a wilderness preservationist…land not to be touched
 * 7) influenced Pres. Roosevelt to be more aware of the environment
 * 8) Gifford Pinchot, head of the U.S. Forest Department
 * Amendments to the Constitution: ** None
 * Acts of Congress: **


 * Impact on today’s world: **
 * 1) National Park System
 * 2) Water projects (dams, irrigation) that provide water to western farmland


 * Step Two: Primary Source Political Cartoons: ** Using the provided websites, find a political cartoon from the time period about the reform movement, paste it to this document and then write an explanation of that cartoon. The explanation must include a description of the main characters and the message of the cartoon.

The main characters are President Teddy Roosevelt and a bear. The caption and the bag suggest that TR is not going to bear hunt on this trip and wants to limit hunting to preserve the bear population.


 * Step 3: Primary Source Pictures: ** Using the provided websites, find a picture(s) that help explain the goals and methods of the movement.

Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir standing at look-out point in Yosemite National Park. Muir helped to convince TR to set aside several million acres for conservation purposes.

Below is a map of the 58 National Parks, a legacy of Teddy Roosevelt.




 * Step Four: Interesting Facts: ** Share an interesting fact(s) about the movement and/or its leaders, and explain why it is interesting. Teddy Roosevelt’s family motto is //Qui Plantavit Carabit// which means “He who has planted will preserve.” I find this motto is appropriate to TR as he spent much of his efforts to the planting of trees to preserve the environment.


 * Step Five: Conclusions: ** Make a reasoned judgment as to the success of this movement and its impact on America today. First fill out the chart, followed by a summary.

National Parks Conservation Association National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Green America Of western agricultural land
 * ** PRO ** ||  ** CON **  ||
 * 58 National Parks established and are still used today || Pollution still exists ||
 * Newland Act provides for water management

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 * Environmental Protection Agency established, 1970

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Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir helped to build the basis of the National Park system that is used by millions of visitors each year. These parks educate Americans about the need to conserve our environment.