The first case study showing lessons from the past is that of colonial New England. The basis for this case study and concept map comes from William Cronon’s book Changes in the Land (Cronon, 2003). This concept map outlines the change in New England’s ecosystem from a sustainable system to an unsustainable one. The values of the Native Americans are what led to their sustainable cycle. It is the imposition of European values such as capitalism that led to the unsustainable world we currently live in. By looking in depth at the cycles of Native, Transitional, and Colonial life, we can understand how values and actions shape the worlds that we live in.

Definition:

A Threshold: a point from which their is no return to the previous ecosystem.

In order to learn more about the Cycle of Native Life, Cycles of Transition, or the Cycle of Colonial Life, take a look at their pages in the drop down menu, or click these links!

Sources

Cronon, William. Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists and the Ecology of New England. Hill and Wang, 2003.