History in the News - Environmental Protection
Group picture of governors at White House Conference, copyright Harris & Ewing, 1908, Washington / Harris and Ewing
(Crossposted from the Teaching with Primary Sources Teacher Network)
There are three different pieces of writing/reporting to cross my screen in the past month
When American Governors and Moguls Came Together to Prevent Environmental Catastrophe
Excerpt - At the turn of the 20th century, floods, fires, and waste plagued the United States. Industries burned through resources and blew toxins into the air, with few restrictions. States and federal governments were only beginning to approach questions of the environment and did so in piecemeal ways.
In 1907, responding to the need to improve transportation, President Theodore Roosevelt tasked the Inland Waterways Commission with studying how to better manage rivers. The commissioners recognized a need for interstate coordination in this effort. Two in particular—Gifford Pinchot and William John “WJ” McGee—went further. They asked Roosevelt to invite all the country’s governors to Washington to discuss the pressing issues of water and natural resources.
Related LOC Primary Source Documents
This is the publication of the Conference of Governors held in the White House May 13-15, 1908 under the sponsorship of President Theodore Roosevelt.
The first National Conservation Congress of 1909 grew out of the 1908 Conference of Governors on the conservation of natural resources convened at the White House by President Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot.
Young environmental activists prevail in first-of-its-kind climate change trial in Montana
Excerpt - Young environmental activists scored what experts described as a ground-breaking legal victory Monday when a Montana judge said state agencies were violating their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment by allowing fossil fuel development.
The ruling in this first-of-its- kind trial in the U.S. adds to a small number of legal decisions around the world that have established a government duty to protect citizens from climate change.
Related LOC Resource
Guide to Law Online: U.S. Montana
A new tool in the fight to save the planet? A 6th-century Roman doctrine.
Excerpt - This might be a long shot. But many democracies do, in theory, guarantee their citizens the right to clean air, water, farmland, forests and other natural resources. The idea of getting judges to enforce this guarantee in more places is not unreasonable. Governments would merely be held to promises they’ve already made. The Montana ruling, for instance, rests on an explicit promise in the state’s constitution.
Each of these pieces focuses on the importance of government taking action to protect the environment - some through state government, federal government, business and the courts. The bit that stuck out to me the most is not just that the last two articles were written, it is (once again) that super interesting historical realization that we have been here before as per the first article. History is cyclical in many ways and there are hard edge turning points in there as well - I feel like we are in one of those liminal spaces where the echo of the past and a hard edge of modern times are converging.
Ways to use these concepts or articles in a history classroom
Use the Governors/Moguls article to gather information on what happened as a result of that 1908 Conference of Governors.
Did real change occur? Why did it or didn’t it happen?
Can we see the impact of any changes in our lives today?
Using the next two articles -
What is the role of young people to preserve a livable environment? What did the Romans believe?
Why if it was so important to the Romans so long ago, is it so hard to bring about change today?
Do a survey of each of the pieces - propose a local plan to address an issue related to the right to clean air, water, farmland, forests and other natural resources. Identify what governmental agency would be able to work on your plan and propose your ideas. Use the historical connections offered in each of the articles to bolster your argument.
What other environmental challenges have challenged America over the years and how has the country addressed them? (DDT, burning rivers, smog)
