Theodore Roosevelt - Conservation
Movement
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Theodore Roosevelt and the
Conservation Movement
Theodore Roosevelt
became president of the United States of America in 1901
and the subject of conservation was high on his political agenda.
President Theodore believed in efficiency and believed
that natural features in the country were being
squandered and destroyed endangering the most important
and natural features of America. Theodore Roosevelt
became an ardent conservationist and his views on
conservationism were expressed in his Seventh Annual
Message to the nation in 1906 in which he stated:
"The conservation of our natural
resources and their proper use
constitute the fundamental problem which underlies
almost every other problem of our National life."
Conservation Movement for kids
In this famous quote President
Roosevelt was referring
to the impact and the many social problems that
had been caused during the
Industrialization in
America and its
rapid, unplanned
Urbanization.
During this period the lives of many Americans had
changed forever from a rural, agricultural environment
to a congested, city-based environment. In his speech
President Roosevelt went on to say that his
presidential his administration had been trying,
"to substitute a planned and orderly development of our
resources in place of a haphazard striving for immediate
profit."
Conservation Movement for kids: The Political Cartoon
The cartoon captured
the ideals of President Roosevelt and the Conservation Movement as
he points to the poster that reads,
"Protect and
preserve the remaining forests upon public lands from Devastation
and Destruction
which has been the fate of those in forest sections of the country."
Conservation Movement for kids: Environmentalism vs Conservation
Some members of the
Conservation Movement also embraced the philosophy of
Environmentalism,
believing that nature was sacred and should not be interfered with
by man. What's the difference between Environmentalism and
Conservation? The quotes of President
Theodore Roosevelt hold the key to the differences between
Environmentalism and Conservation. In his quotes he conveys the
opinion that natural resources should be used, but in a planned,
orderly and efficient manner to avoid waste, pollution and
exploitation by unscrupulous men.
Conservation Movement History for
kids: The
End of the Wilderness
The history of the United States
tells of a country forged from the wilderness and in the 1890's
Americans were witnessing its erosion.
Their awareness of the changes in America and the end of the
Wildness was dramatically highlighted in 1893 when American
historian Frederick Jackson Turner (1861 – 1932) published an essay
entitled "The Significance of the Frontier in American History."
Frederick Jackson Turner believed the spirit and success of the
United States was directly tied to the westward expansion of the
nation and claimed that the American character had been shaped by
the continuous experience of the wilderness and the frontier which,
according to the 1890 census, had finally disappeared beneath the
last waves of settlement. He expressed the view that when the
unlimited free land in the frontier and wilderness was available it
had given Americans the psychological sense of unlimited
opportunity. The vast American wilderness had been explored,
settled, and exploited and members of the Conservation Movement
believed the nation's natural optimism and drive would disappear
along with its natural resources and indigenous population. The
Conservation Movement promoted the idea that the remaining unspoiled
lands had to be preserved for future generations.
Conservation Movement History for
kids: Famous
Conservationists - Caitlin, Thoreau and Muir
Members of the
Conservation Movement was inspired by artists and writers
such as George Caitlin, Henry David Thoreau and John Muir. The
artist and author George Caitlin (1796 – 1872) was a man of true
vision and realized that the encroachment of the white settlers were
destroying tribes and the culture of Native American Indians. He was
determined to capture images of the indigenous people of America and
their lifestyles which he knew would disappear. The following images
are taken from
Warpaths to Peace Pipes which includes many of George Caitlin's
paintings and information from his books.
George Caitlin not only witnessed at first hand the decline of a
civilization he also saw the near extinction of the buffalo, killed
in their thousands for sport and entertainment. The writer and
conservationist, Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862), believed that
"all good things are wild and free" and his beliefs led to the
creation of Yellowstone National Park in 1872, the first national
park in the world. The writer, naturalist and preservationist John
Muir (1838 – 1914) witnessed the wanton logging of giant redwoods in
California and the damage caused by excessive grazing of sheep,
which he called "hoofed locusts". Muir urged protection of the
Yosemite Valley and Congress responded by creating Yosemite National
Park and Sequoia National Park. John Muir founded the 'Sierra Club
which became a prominent American conservation organization. The
frightening examples of destruction in the nation's recent history
and the publications of early conservationists were significant to
the rise of the reformists in the Progressive Era and the
Conservation Movement.
Conservation Movement History: The Progressive
Era
The
Progressive Era
in America encompassed a whole variety of different ideas and
activities of pressure groups, including the Conservation Movement,
who determined to bring about reform. The Conservation movement was
one of the leading pressure groups and its
Progressive members believed that the government should take a more
active role in solving the problems of American society by restoring
order and protecting the welfare of Americans by conservation and
environmental reforms.
The Progressive era
(1890 - 1920)
and Conservation Movement was largely due to a backlash against the
Rise of Big Business and
Corporations that were lead by wealthy, greedy, and unethical
men, referred to as the Robber Barons.
Conservation Movement History for
kids: No
State or Government Control
The massive corporations and Robber Barons operated under the
economic system of
Free enterprise combined with the
concept of 'Laissez-Faire' and the companies were largely free of
state control and government regulation. The Conservation Movement
fought for government intervention.
Conservation Movement History for
kids:
Industries and the "Tradition of Waste"
Unscrupulous
Robber Barons
had heavily exploited the natural resources of America, and were
targets of the Conservation Movement. These hard men cared nothing
for the environment or conservation, they were driven purely by
profit. Their goal was to exploit the nation's supply of natural
resources and to meet their goal they developed a "tradition of
waste", devoid of proper planning or foresight. The most important
industries involved in the "haphazard striving for immediate profit"
were the Railroads, Mining Industries and the Timber and Lumber
Industry.
● The Mining Industries
extracted natural resources such as coal, iron, gold, silver,
copper and oil. The mining companies used unethical, dangerous,
inefficient and wasteful mining practices devoid of government
regulation
● The timber, lumber and
logging industry practiced unplanned and destructive methods,
often leading to uncontrolled fires
● The great railroad
companies and land speculators had purchased vast tracts of
farming and grazing lands and forests
Conservation Movement in America for
kids:
Threats to the Environment
The Conservation movement grew as Americans became increasingly
aware and alarmed by the activities of the Big Businesses and
Corporations. People were genuinely concerned that the nation would
soon run out of vital natural resources, especially wood, unless the
government intervened. They were witnessing the destruction of
America as they saw great forests were being routinely destroyed and
the natural beauty and wildlife of the country being ravaged. Groups
in the Conservation movement protested that raw materials and
resources would run out, depriving future generations of Americans
of their natural heritage and argued that undeveloped lands
of great natural beauty must be preserved. The arguments for
preserving natural wildlife increased as birds and small animals
were driven from their natural habitats by the rise of industry and
the process of Urbanization. Other conservationists looked at the
effects of unplanned and rapid Urbanization of the towns and cities.
There were few parks or gardens where people could breathe fresh
air. There was inadequate sanitation or sewage facilities which led
to pollution. The
unsanitary conditions in the towns and cities resulted in lethal
cholera epidemics and tuberculosis. Members of the
Conservation movement
fought to improve both the rural and the urban environment.
Conservation Movement in America:
Accomplishments of the Conservationists and President Roosevelt
The emergence of the Conservation movement led to many
accomplishments by famous conservationists and the actions taken by
the 'Conservationist President' Theodore Roosevelt.
Between 1905 and 1916, the National Parks Service and the U.S.
Forest Service were created, five more
national parks. Roosevelt signed legislation for
the
National Monuments Act ( Antiquities Act) and proclaimed four
national monuments and created fifty-three wildlife sanctuaries.
Theodore Roosevelt deserved the title as the
"Father of Conservation".
Conservation Movement Timeline for kids: History and timeline
of the Progressive Movement
The timeline
history of the reform societies, the crusading
authors and important people and political events in
the Conservation Movement. Interesting facts and a
timeline about the Conservation Movement and the
important Conversationalists are detailed below. The
information on the Conservation Movement is told in
a factual, date sequence consisting of a series of
short facts providing a simple method of relating
the history and events in the Conservation Movement
Timeline.
Conservation
Movement Timeline for kids: 1890 - 1920
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 1: 1841: George Caitlin published
Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American
Indians
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 2:
1851: Henry David Thoreau delivers an address in
Massachusetts declaring that "in Wildness is the
preservation of the World."
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 3: 1872: Yellowstone National Park is
created by an Act of Congress
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 4: 1887: The Boone and Crockett Club is
founded by Theodore Roosevelt and George Bird Grinnell.
Its goal is to stem the loss of the nation’s natural
resources and to conserve wildlife habitat
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 5: 1890: Congress passes legislation
establishing Sequoia National Parkand Yosemite and
General Grant National Parks
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 6: 1890: The start of the Progressive
Era and increasing support for the Conservation Movement
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 7: 1891: Congress passes the Forest
Reserve Act that grants the President the authority to
establish forest reserves on public lands by
proclamation
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 8: 1892: John Muir founds the Sierra
Club that is dedicated to the preservation of
wilderness.
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 9: 1893: Frederick Jackson Turner
publishes "The Significance of the Frontier in American
History."
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 10:
1898: Gifford Pinchot is appointed
chief of the Division of Forestry in the Department of
Agriculture
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 11:
1899: The Harriman Alaska Expedition
explores coastal Alaska undertaken by Americans involved
in conservationism
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 12:
1900: The Lacey Act becomes the first
Federal law protecting game
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 13:
1901:
Theodore Roosevelt becomes president
and champions the Conservationists. In his First Annual
Message he announces his goals of forest conservation
and preservation
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 14:
1902: Congress passes a bill
establishing Crater Lake National Park, Oregon.
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 15:
1902: Congress passes the Alaska Game
Act protecting animals in Alaska
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 16:
1903: The first Federal Bird
Reservation is established on Pelican Island, Florida
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 17:
1903: Congress passes a bill
establishing Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota.
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 18:
1904: The
Square Deal Policy
in which President Roosevelt supports progressive and
aggressive political reforms, including the heavy
regulation of business as well as supporting the
Conservation Movement.
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 19:
1904 Congress passes a bill which
leads to the establishment of Sullys Hill National Park,
North Dakota.
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 20:
1905 The American Bison Society is
organized
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 21:
1905: The American Forest Congress in
Washington is attended by government leaders and members
of the Conservation Movement who raise issues relating
to natural resources to leaders of lumbering, mining,
grazing, and irrigation industries
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 22:
1906: Congress passes the Game and
Bird Preserves Protection Act
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 23:
1906: The
National Monuments Act ( Antiquities Act) is
passed authorizing the President to establish national
monuments for the preservation of historic, prehistoric,
and scientific interest
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 24:
1906: President Roosevelt issues a
Presidential Proclamation establishing Devil's Tower
National Monument, Wyoming, as the nation's first
National Monument
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 25:
1906: Congress passes by a law
establishing Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, and
Platt National Park, Oklahoma
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 26:
1906: Congress passes by "An Act For
the control and regulation of the waters of Niagara
River, for the preservation of Niagara Falls, and for
other purposes"
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 27:
1907: Proclamation issued
establishing Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen
Peak National Monument, California
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 28:
1908: The National Conservation
Commission is established
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 29:
1908: Muir Woods National Monument,
California is established
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 30:
1909: The First National Conservation
Congress is convened by the Washington State
Conservation Association
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 31:
1909: Congress passes "An Act To
create the Calaveras Bigtree National Forest"
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 32:
1909: President Roosevelt issues a
Proclamation establishing Mount Olympus National
Monument, Washington.
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 33:
1909: The presidency of Theodore
Roosevelt comes to an end on March 4, 1909. He becomes
known as the "Father of Conservation".
Conservation
Movement Timeline Fact 34:
1933: The idea and creation of the
highly acclaimed
Civilian Conservation Corps by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt during the Great Depression, originated from
FDR’s experiences with the ideals of the Conservation
Movement and his involvement with the Boy Scouts
Conservation
Movement Timeline for kids
Conservation Movement for kids - President Theodore Roosevelt Video
The article on the Conservation Movement provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 26th American President whose presidency spanned from September 14, 1901 to March 4, 1909.
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Summary of the Conservation Movement in US history
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The Conservation Movement, a major
event in US history
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Conservation Movement Timeline and History
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Fast, fun facts about the Conservation Movement Timeline
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policies of President Roosevelt - Conservation Movement
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