Throughout history, the ecosystems of the world have been significantly altered by human development.  From Animal Extinction in Europe to the Industrial Revolution, major historical trends have affected the environment forever.

Major events in history continue to affect the environment many years after they happened.  The creation of Earth Day, the Chernobyl Accident, the Dust Bowl, and many other historical incidents remain relevant today. You can also explore them with our interactive Timeline.

When you have finished reading the articles in this section, be sure to Test your knowledge.  Students can take these exams and have their scores automatically reported to their teachers by signing up on the Classroom Connection feature.

A bibliography for each article in this section is available on the Bibliography page.

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Bibliography
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Environment and History – A scholarly journal on past and present environmental problems.  The journal consists of articles written by various academics.