For environmental and public health activists, The Progressive Era, which
spanned about 1890 to 1920, saw a surge in reform attempts in the United
States. For a variety of causes, a large number of people took part in a
wide range of changes, including women's suffrage, political reform, and
prohibition. Progressive reformers pushed for these reforms in response to
the growing rate of urbanization and industrialization in
late-nineteenth-century America, as well as the issues that came with it.
Industry flourished immensely as a result of new technological
breakthroughs in transportation, communication, and organization, and
immigrants flocked into unprepared cities in search of new jobs. Numerous
issues arose as a result of the lack of government monitoring and
regulations: housing became overcrowded, dilapidated, and disease-ridden;
industries failed to safeguard their employees financially, physically, or
health-wise; and pollution grew common.
The Progressive Movement was a high-water mark for environmental and
public health reformers. The movement starts with the end of the American
frontier and questions about increasing impacts of urbanization. Reform
was the common concern – reform of working conditions, slum housing, food
adulteration, sanitation, drinking water, polluting industries, hunting
laws and mining practices. President Teddy Roosevelt and Sierra Club
founder John Muir represent the two major approaches to environmentalism
in this period. Roosevelt advocates a “wise use” of natural resources and
an approach that takes the future into account while accommodating some
present needs. Muir opposes the “wise use” idea and fights for outright
preservation of unspoiled wilderness.
John Muir, also known as "John of the Mountains" and "Father of the
National Parks", was an influential Scottish-American naturalist, author,
environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologist, and early
advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States of
America. Muir’s writings convinced the U.S. government to protect
Yosemite, Sequoia, Grand Canyon and Mt. Rainier as national parks. John
wrote and had published over 300 magazine articles and 12 books. These
books and articles bubble over with his love of adventure, nature,
wildness and the inter-connectivity of it all. At the time of his death he
was working on a book about his travels in Alaska. He had plans and enough
material in his notebooks for ten more books.
Since 1872 the United States National Park System has grown from a single,
public reservation called Yellowstone National Park to include 430
natural, historical, recreational, and cultural areas throughout the
United States, its territories, and island possessions. On August 25,
1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the "Organic Act" creating the
National Park Service, a federal bureau in the Department of the Interior
responsible for maintaining national parks and monuments that were then
managed by the department. The National Park System has since expanded to
423 units (often referred to as parks), more than 150 related areas, and
numerous programs that assist in conserving the nation's natural and
cultural heritage for the benefit of current and future generations.
The Antiquities Act of 1906 authorizes the President to proclaim national
monuments on federal lands that contain historic landmarks, historic and
prehistoric structures, or other objects of historic or scientific
interest.
For environmental and public health activists, The Progressive Era, which
spanned about 1890 to 1920, saw a surge in reform attempts in the United
States. For a variety of causes, a large number of people took part in a
wide range of changes, including women's suffrage, political reform, and
prohibition. Progressive reformers pushed for these reforms in response to
the growing rate of urbanization and industrialization in
late-nineteenth-century America, as well as the issues that came with it.
Industry flourished immensely as a result of new technological
breakthroughs in transportation, communication, and organization, and
immigrants flocked into unprepared cities in search of new jobs. Numerous
issues arose as a result of the lack of government monitoring and
regulations: housing became overcrowded, dilapidated, and disease-ridden;
industries failed to safeguard their employees financially, physically, or
health-wise; and pollution grew common.
Since 1872 the United States National Park System has grown from a single,
public reservation called Yellowstone National Park to include 430
natural, historical, recreational, and cultural areas throughout the
United States, its territories, and island possessions. On August 25,
1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the "Organic Act" creating the
National Park Service, a federal bureau in the Department of the Interior
responsible for maintaining national parks and monuments that were then
managed by the department. The National Park System has since expanded to
423 units (often referred to as parks), more than 150 related areas, and
numerous programs that assist in conserving the nation's natural and
cultural heritage for the benefit of current and future generations.