Includes bibliographical references (pages 156-159) and index.

Philosophical foundations -- The 1400s to 1700s : inhabiting a new land -- The 1700s to 1800s : destroying the frontier -- The 1860s to 1900s : building an industrial nation -- The 1900s to 1930s : progressing to conservation -- The 1940s to 1960s : prelude to the green decade -- The 1970s : the conservation movement matures -- The 1980s : a conservative backlash -- The 1990s : government retrenchment and public apathy. First Along the River provides students with a balanced, historical perspective on the history of the environmental movement in relation to major social and political events in U.S. history, from the pre-colonial era to the present. The book highlights important people and events, places critical concepts in context, and shows the impact of government, industry, and population on the American landscape. Comprehensive yet brief, First Along the River discusses the religious and philosophical beliefs that shaped Americans' relationship to the environment, traces the origins and development of government regulations that impact Americans' use of natural resources, and shows why popular environmental groups were founded and how they changed over time. - Publisher.