changes in the land cronon
Cronon, Changes in the land
William Cronon’s Changes in the Land interprets and analyzes the changing circumstances in New England’s plant and animal communities that occurred with the shift from Indian to European dominance. In his thesis Cronon claims, “the shift from Indian to European dominance in New England entailed important changes—well known to historians—in the ways these peoples organized their lives, but it also involved fundamental reorganizations—less well known to historians—in the region’s plant and animal communities” (Cronon 15). As the distant world and inhabitants of Europe were gradually introduced to North America’s ecosystem, the boundaries between the two were blurred. In the beginning of his book, Cronon describes changes that occurred in the region between 1600 and 1800. He relies heavily upon the writings of early European visitors to suggest the great variety and abundance of plant and animal life in pre-settlement in New England. He also assigns subsequent inhabitants. Over time the Europeans impacted ecosystems differently than the pre-colonial relationship between Indians and the land. Cronon discusses the disagreements of Indians and Europeans regarding the uses of natural resources and he outlines different concepts of property. Cronon uses evidence to explain the events that led to the dramatic consequences, following the European contact with New England. According to Cronon , the environment the Europeans first encountered in New England astonished them. Early descriptions were restricted to the coastline, but the accounts all agreed on the surprising level of animal and plant life in New England. The settlers were not used to so much untamed land, as landscape for hunting in England was reserved to large landowners. European settlers were amazed by the absence of domesticated animals, which played a significant role in European agriculture. The cycle of the seasons and the relative climate of
William Cronon’s Changes in the Land interprets and analyzes the changing circumstances in New England’s plant and animal communities that occurred with the shift from Indian to European dominance. In his thesis Cronon claims, “the shift from Indian to European dominance in New England entailed important changes—well known to historians—in the ways these peoples organized their lives, but it also involved fundamental reorganizations—less well known to historians—in the region’s plant and animal communities” (Cronon 15). As the distant world and inhabitants of Europe were gradually introduced to North America’s ecosystem, the boundaries between the two were blurred. In the beginning of his book, Cronon describes changes that occurred in the region between 1600 and 1800. He relies heavily upon the writings of early European visitors to suggest the great variety and abundance of plant and animal life in pre-settlement in New England. He also assigns subsequent inhabitants. Over time the Europeans impacted ecosystems differently than the pre-colonial relationship between Indians and the land. Cronon discusses the disagreements of Indians and Europeans regarding the uses of natural resources and he outlines different concepts of property. Cronon uses evidence to explain the events that led to the dramatic consequences, following the European contact with New England. According to Cronon , the environment the Europeans first encountered in New England astonished them. Early descriptions were restricted to the coastline, but the accounts all agreed on the surprising level of animal and plant life in New England. The settlers were not used to so much untamed land, as landscape for hunting in England was reserved to large landowners. European settlers were amazed by the absence of domesticated animals, which played a significant role in European agriculture. The cycle of the seasons and the relative climate of