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Major Problems in American History
Major Problems in American Environmental History Documents and Essays
This volume traces the history of the United States environment through examinations of 14 critical issues including pollution, conservation, and wilderness preservation.
570 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
5 people are currently reading
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About the author
Thomas G. Paterson
45 books1 followerThomas Graham Paterson received his Bachelors degree from the University of New Hampshire in 1963, and his Masters and Doctoral degrees from the University of California at Berkeley in 1964 and 1968, respectively. Paterson is known primarily for his contributions to Cold War history with an emphasis on United States-Cuba relations, as well as the study of United States foreign relations in general.
A prolific author, Paterson has written and co-written numerous books and articles, and has also served as an editor for several books and scholarly journals, including Diplomatic History and the Encyclopedia of U.S. Foreign Relations (1997), for which he was a contributing editor. He has published several articles and book reviews in newspapers, magazines, and newsletters, as well as scholarly journals such as the Journal of American History, The New England Journal of History, Diplomatic History, the New England Quarterly, and the American Historical Review. He is a member of a multiple of historical and scholarly associations, including the American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians, the New England Historical Association, and the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR), the last of which he was president in 1987.
Paterson is the recipient of a number of fellowships and research grants. He has appeared on television and radio programs, and has delivered an impressive number of lectures throughout the United States, as well as Canada, China, Cuba, Venezuela, New Zealand, Great Britain, Colombia, and Russia. He taught both graduate and undergraduate level History courses at the University of Connecticut from 1967 through 1997. Aside from his teaching duties, Paterson was also a member of several different University and History Department committees. Paterson has been Professor Emeritus since his retirement from teaching at UConn in 1997.
A prolific author, Paterson has written and co-written numerous books and articles, and has also served as an editor for several books and scholarly journals, including Diplomatic History and the Encyclopedia of U.S. Foreign Relations (1997), for which he was a contributing editor. He has published several articles and book reviews in newspapers, magazines, and newsletters, as well as scholarly journals such as the Journal of American History, The New England Journal of History, Diplomatic History, the New England Quarterly, and the American Historical Review. He is a member of a multiple of historical and scholarly associations, including the American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians, the New England Historical Association, and the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR), the last of which he was president in 1987.
Paterson is the recipient of a number of fellowships and research grants. He has appeared on television and radio programs, and has delivered an impressive number of lectures throughout the United States, as well as Canada, China, Cuba, Venezuela, New Zealand, Great Britain, Colombia, and Russia. He taught both graduate and undergraduate level History courses at the University of Connecticut from 1967 through 1997. Aside from his teaching duties, Paterson was also a member of several different University and History Department committees. Paterson has been Professor Emeritus since his retirement from teaching at UConn in 1997.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 20, 2012
This collection offers a wide selection of essays and primary sources, which represent the field of environmental history quite well. I would recommend it for an upper-level undergraduate environmental history course.
Two Issues:
1. This collection is beginning to show its age. The scholars showcased are considered to be grandfathers and mothers of environmental history. An updated version would be excellent.
2. I can't stand the title. Suggesting that these "problems" are unique to enviromental history is misleading; all history is affected by the postmodern malaise. I also do not think that the fact that historians come to different conclusions using the same evidence is a "problem," rather it is just the nature of the beast. Lastly, the title is likely to turn off many students who are skeptical about taking a course in environmental history in the first place: "why should we learn about a topic that is problematic?"
Two Issues:
1. This collection is beginning to show its age. The scholars showcased are considered to be grandfathers and mothers of environmental history. An updated version would be excellent.
2. I can't stand the title. Suggesting that these "problems" are unique to enviromental history is misleading; all history is affected by the postmodern malaise. I also do not think that the fact that historians come to different conclusions using the same evidence is a "problem," rather it is just the nature of the beast. Lastly, the title is likely to turn off many students who are skeptical about taking a course in environmental history in the first place: "why should we learn about a topic that is problematic?"
April 1, 2022
Great book! Compliation of many environmental essays.
January 4, 2015
Very intelligently put together. Only the one minor criticism: It lacks an index, to be more useful.
December 31, 2016
Designed as a textbook, it is a good basic primer to the field.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews