Environmental History

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Subject:

Humanities, Social Sciences

Institution Name:

The Saylor Foundation

Collection:

Saylor Foundation

Grade Level:

Post-secondary

Abstract:

This course will focus on the history of mankind's relationship with the natural world. The student will examine how environmental factors have shaped the development and growth of civilizations around the world and analyze how these civilizations have altered their environments in positive and negative ways. By the end of the course, the student will better understand the reciprocal relationship between human beings and the natural environment and how this relationship has evolved throughout human history. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: think critically about the historical relationship between humans and the natural environment; identify how early humans modified and adapted natural resources for agricultural and commercial purposes; analyze how human settlements altered the natural environment and evaluate how environmental factors shaped the growth of early civilizations; evaluate how new agricultural and commercial practices altered the natural environment across the globe during the Middle Ages; identify how environmental factors, such as disease and pollution, shaped political and social life in Europe during the Early-Modern Era; evaluate how the Columbian Exchange resulted in significant ecological and biological changes in Europe and the Americas and dramatically altered human societies on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean; analyze the impact of industrialization on human society during the Modern Era and evaluate how governmental and nongovernmental actors have attempted to ameliorate the negative environmental consequences of industrialization; identify current environmental challenges facing humanity and analyze these challenges from a historical perspective; analyze and interpret primary and secondary source documents relating to environmental history using historical research methods. (History 364)

Languages:

English

Material Type:

Assessments, Audio Lectures, Full Course, Homework and Assignments, Lecture Notes, Readings, Syllabi, Textbooks, Video Lectures

Media Format:

Audio, Graphics/Photos, Text/HTML, Downloadable docs, Video

Conditions of Use:

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0
You are welcome to share, remix, and adapt this course under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; however, many linked materials within this course are copyright of their respective authors/owners and may not be openly-licensed. Please respect the copyright and terms of use associated with each resource.

Copyright Holder:

The Saylor Foundation