Here is the story of the long interaction between humans, land,
and climate in the American South. It is a tale of exploitation and
erosion, of destruction, disease, and defeat, but also of the
persistent search for knowledge and wisdom. It is a story whose
villains were also its victims and sometimes its heroes. Ancient
forces created the southern landscape, but, as Albert E. Cowdrey
shows, humankind from the time of earliest habitation has been at
work reshaping it. The southern Indians, far from being the
"natural ecologists" of myth, radically transformed their
environment by hunting and burning. Such patterns were greatly
accelerated by the arrival of Europeans, who viewed the land as a
commodity to be exploited for immediate economic benefit. Their
greed and ignorance took a heavy toll on the land and all those it
supported. Climate, interacting with history, also played its part.
The diseases brought to the New World from Europe and later from
Africa found in the South a warm and hospitable abode, with
devastating consequences for its human inhabitants. Until well into
the twentieth century, endemic illnesses continually eroded human
resources. Cowdrey documents not only the long decline but the
painfully slow struggle to repair the damage of human folly. The
eighteenth century saw widespread though ineffectual efforts to
protect game and conserve the soil. In the nineteenth century the
first hesitant steps were taken toward scientific flood control,
forestry, wildlife protection, and improved medicine. In this
century, the New Deal, the explosion in scientific knowledge, and
the national environmental movement have spurred more rapid
improvements. But the efforts to harness the South's great rivers,
to save its wild species, and to avert serious environmental
pollution have often had equivocal results. This Land, This South,
first published in 1983, was the first book to explore the impact
of humans on the southern landscape and its effect on them. In
graceful and at times lyrical prose, Albert Cowdrey brings together
a vast array of information. This important book, now revised and
updated, should be read by every person concerned with the past,
present, and future of the South.
General
Imprint: |
The University Press of Kentucky
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Series: |
New Perspectives on the South |
Release date: |
November 1995 |
First published: |
November 1995 |
Authors: |
Albert E. Cowdrey
|
Dimensions: |
229 x 152 x 14mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
256 |
Edition: |
Revised edition |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-8131-0851-3 |
Categories: |
Books >
Sport & Leisure >
Natural history, country life & pets >
General
|
LSN: |
0-8131-0851-9 |
Barcode: |
9780813108513 |
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