(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Changes in the Land by William Cronon

            William Cronon's book Changes in the Land is a very detailed and informative explanation of the cultural and environmental shifts that North America underwent with the European colonization. Reading through this book allows you to see not only how America has become the nation she is today ecologically but it also shows the ecological state of New England during Native American inhabitation and the radical changes that were caused by the European way of life. The collision between the two cultures and ways of life ultimately resulted a noticeable change within the environment. .
             When the people of Europe first landed in New England they initially were intimidated by the sheer wilderness. They had never really encountered landscape they had not been "domesticated," where as the Native Americans thrived in such a land. The Native Americans saw their lives in the land as symbiotic relationship meaning that they respected their environment and the laws of nature in all regards. On the other end of the spectrum the Europeans had mindset of dominion over the land in that they could control and rule the land. Even though the land intimidated them they saw the great potential of the land from a very Western mindset. They knew with work they could yield crops and hunt the livestock for their furs and make a profit. However when the Europeans looked at the Indians and how they lived their lives they were confused. "Many European visitors were struck by what seemed to them the poverty of Indians who lived in the midst of a landscape endowed so astonishingly with abundance" (Cronon 33). The Europeans thought that the Native Americans were not taking advantage of the land they had. "Here was a riddle: how could a land be so rich and its people be so poor?" (Cronon 33).
             The Indians lived their life with the mindset of working only for what they needed to survive. Nothing was motivated by profit.


Essays Related to Changes in the Land by William Cronon

1. William Cronon and Changes in the Land

William Cronon has shed light on all of these reasons in his book, Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonist, and the Ecology of New England. ... "( Cronon, xiv) as opposed to why the changes occurred , I am confident that I can divulge on the "why" using his book as a resource. ... Cronon construes this when he says, " To take advantage of their land's diversity, the Indian villagers had to be mobile." ( Cronon, 54). ... "Colonists were moved to transform the soil by a property system that taught them to treat the land as capital." ( Cronon, 77). ... (Cronon, 109) The colonists clea...

  • Word Count: 958
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Changes in the Land by William Cronon

In the novel "Changes in the Land", written by William Cronon, a collection of essays would be organized into a compilation of explanations and subjective reasoning to assist in a better understanding of how the two separate ways of living had such different effects on each other and the New England ecosystems. ... In chapter one and two, Cronon elaborates further on the "ecological transformation of Colonial New England ". ... Chapter 4, pages 55-58, Cronon will magnify the different views about the importance of land and ownership between the Native Americans and English colonists. ... The E...

  • Word Count: 1323
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: Graduate

3. Changes in the Land by William Cronon

In order for one to understand how the conquest caused distinct changes to the culture and ecology of the native population and land one must first understand how the New England natives and environment functioned before the Europeans landed, how the European settlements functions differed the natives ideals and culture, and what effects European conquest had on the native people and the land. ... They conformed to the land rather than forcing the land to conform to them. ... Cronon summarizes, "The struggle was over two ways of living and using the seasons of the year, and it expresse...

  • Word Count: 671
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. Changes in the Land - Indians, Colonists and the Ecology of New England

William Cronon's 20th anniversary edition of "Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England," strives to analyze how the land and the people influenced each other and how those relationships shaped new England's communities. ... In fact, when explained by Cronon it does seem to make common sense that the changes people made would undoubtedly, impact ecological systems as well. ... For example, pre-colonial Indians viewed ownership of land based strictly upon the use of the land (p. 80). ... Once the use of the land changed, such as letting the land rest from...

  • Word Count: 735
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

5. Economic Growth and Environmental Destruction

William Cronon jokes, "The only way to save nature is to kill ourselves" (Cronon) fortunately, this is not the solution. ... On another note, the idea of dualism and Cronon's "dualistic vision" of nature has been an intense debate amongst environmentalist for years. ... Non-dualist, Cronon, does not believe humans can help in the progression of conservation because we are the problem, however, Donald Waller disagrees. ... " So, humans have the power to make changes in the environment through their actions. ... The issues that are affecting our environment are g...

  • Word Count: 1339
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

6. Is Humanity Suicidal

- and William Cronon's "The Trouble with Wilderness,"" are two essays that address the changing environment and what is to be expected in the future. ... Wilson feels that overpopulation is causing a dramatic change on Earth. ... The carelessness of humans is "swiftly changing the atmosphere and climate [ ]- (501). ... Because of an increase in population, people require more land and supplies to be able to have a suitable life. ... Cronon believes when humans go into the wilderness it is no longer considered wild. ...

  • Word Count: 834
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Changes in the Land: Native Americans in New England

How did the Native Americans view land use and property rights? ... "This I have imagine..." is what Henry David Thoreau pondered as he set about cataloging the changing landscape of Walden. ... William Cronon, tackles this subject in his book Changes in the Land, as he explores and explains the changing landscape that Thoreau writes about using both factual/historical data combined with a fresh ecologically based approach. ... They utilized the seasonal changes to signal and direct them in their agricultural plantings and harvests, their hunting and foraging expeditions, their fishing excu...

  • Word Count: 1322
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question