HIS-3030 History of the American Wilderness
This experiential course provides students with a meaningful introduction of America's changing sentiments about nature and wilderness in the late-19th century. Topics include the foundation
of the national park system in the late 1800s, ideological and philosophical changes such as romanticism, the conservation movement, and environmentalism, and the difficult balance between environmental protection and business interests, though the exact content will vary depending on the instructor. Part of the course will be experiential. While the course is largely on-ground in a classroom, a week or more of content is taught in the field. While designed originally for a week-long trip to the Adirondacks, other destinations could be the NJ Coast, the Appalachian Trail, or elsewhere.