A comprehensive view of the cultural evolution of the American landscape is presented in this book. Its main purpose is to examine key historical forces in the settlement and human shaping of the land over the past 10,000 years, with an emphasis on the past three centuries. Through chosen illustrations, it shows the reader how to read in today's landscape the record of this transformation. The major historical forces that shaped the American cultural landscape are viewed from the varied perspectives of ethnic and cultural movements, environmental challenge and response, and the grand transformations wrought by industrialism and urbanization. A selection of themes are discussed, including: the diverse influence of colonial powers on early settlement; the emergence of regional types of landscape; the impact of ideology on landscape and the contributions of technological changes to landscape development.
The only compact yet comprehensive survey of environmental and cultural forces that have shaped the visual character and geographical diversity of the settled American landscape. The book examines the large-scale historical influences that have molded the varied human adaptation of the continent’s physical topography to its needs over more than 500 years. It presents a synoptic view of myriad historical processes working together or in conflict, and illustrates them through their survival in or disappearance from the everyday landscapes of today.