a critical review of Willian Cronon’s Changes in the Land 1) What is Cronon’s ma
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Question
a critical review of Willian Cronon’s Changes in the Land
1) What is Cronon’s main thesis or theme?
2) Compare and contrast his account of European and native societies, focusing in
particular on their respective social organization and the impact of their respective ways
of life on the ecosystem.
3) How did each society sustain itself> what was their relationship to their environment?
4) What factors shaped the Europeans’ relationship to the North American ecosystem?
5) How did the landscape change after the arrival of the Europeans?
6) Does Cronon make any value judgments about the behaviours and ways of life of natives
and Europeans?
7) How does Cronon’s approach to historical explanation compare with that of Crosby?
8) Do you find Cronon’s arguments and conclusions convincing
Explanation / Answer
1)Cronon's main theme discusses the importance and change in the animal and plant communities that occured due to the shift or change from Indian to European communities.
2) The migration of the European inhabitants to North America changed the community of the animal and plant varieties across these regions. There were various ecological habitat changes across these regions. There were a variety of court records, surveyor records and historical evidence which suggest the change of the habitat and ecosystem in these regions. There are other evidence of fossil plants and pollen grains which further enhance this observation of evidence as a historical perspective.
3) Societies developed across New England with many varieties of plant and animal life. There were many regions in the country which were covered with a dense covering of forests and exhaustion of timber wood took place. There was a bias in the outlook towards the society in New England. The poverty scenario of Indians living in New England was raised as an issue. There was a difference in the way, methodology and living of people in North America, England and other regions of Europe.
4) The vegetation ,forests, species of plants and animals developed the ecosystem of North America and England.Indians practised fishing in these areas in the spring and summer season. They built mobile houses and transferred from one region to another in search of food and hunted animals in various parts and regions of forests.
5) Europeans practised land ownership in various parts and regions of lands available.Europeans concentrated on using a large areas of land for agriculture as compared ot the other regions. The animals included cattles, hogs and sheep. Forests were burned to make the land accessible for agriculture and growing crops. Deforestation and burning of fossil fuels changed the ecosystem and habitat of the place seriously.
6) The settlers migrating from Europe bought land from the native people living in New England and Northern America. There was only seasonal migration among Indians thus Europeans used more land for agriculture. There were various animals which were used for agriculture, marketing and trading of goods in various regions.
7)Cronon work explains the changes in the ecological habitat in various regions of North America and New England due to migration of people from Europe. The work of Crosby depicts the Columbian exchange of various good, items, plants and species of animals in Europe. There was ecological imperialism with changes in the standard of living among people belonging from different class in the society. It explains colonialism with changes in the ecological habitat of the regions where migration was taken place.
8)They are convincing as various factors like burning of forests and deforestation lead to instability in the ecological habitat with extinction of species of plants and animals in that area.
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