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  • Essay / A historical view of how national parks were created

    The industrial revolution took place in the 18th and 19th centuries; more precisely, it began around 1760 and ended between the 1820s and 1840s. The industrial revolution introduced the use of machines, which quickly transformed people's lives as well as manufacturing methods. Before the revolution, manufacturing of items was usually done in the home, using hand tools or basic machines. In addition to improved manufacturing methods, people saw improved transportation, communication, and banking methods. One of the effects of the Industrial Revolution was the rise of naturalism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the Original Essay It all started with the idea that national parks should be shared with everyone, because of the magnificent natural wonders of the country. The discovery of Yosemite in 1851 sparked the movements that ultimately led to legislation protecting and preserving the land for future generations. After the discovery of Yosemite, a man named James Mason Hutchings saw the land and after his first visit, he returned with a photographer. The photographer then photographed the country, and word and images of Yosemite spread quite quickly. People seized on the images and the name, and many thought it would be in the best interests of the land to be protected. The land was in danger, but for a time little was done about it. By the 1860s, Niagara Falls Park was almost in ruins because of private landowners who owned all the lookouts and all charged fees. It was thought that if nothing was done in Yosemite, it would end the same way. In May 1864, a man named John Conness introduced a bill to Congress proposing simply to "set aside a vast tract of natural scenery for the future enjoyment of all." More than 60 square miles of Yosemite Park land was now to be transferred to the State of California, with the sole condition that the land be used for "public use, resort and recreation." In June of that year, President Abraham Lincoln signed a law preserving the land forever. In 1867, a man named John Muir arrived. He was a born scientist, studying geology and botany and graduating from the University of Wisconsin. After seeing Yosemite for the first time, he wrote that Yosemite was "by far the greatest of all the special temples of nature that I have ever been permitted to enter...". He devoted all his free time to exploring new parts of the country; he had felt a deep spiritual connection to the land and animals, and so he decided to dedicate himself to understanding the wilderness and teaching others what he had learned. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a Custom Essay The law that was passed for Yosemite sparked the discovery of other national parks, all of which needed to be preserved and protected. Sequoia National Park and General Grant National Park are examples of lands protected by law, like Yosemite. Although it was a good start, Muir knew there was a need for more parks and that he would have to convince many Americans that national parks were a necessity..