HIS 100 Module Three Activity Context Template
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Southern New Hampshire University *
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100
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History
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Apr 3, 2024
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HIS 100 Module Three Activity Template: Historical Context Replace the bracketed text below with your responses.
Identify the topic you chose to explore:
The creation of Earth Day
Describe the historical context surrounding your historical event. In the year of 1970, a massive oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, a company known as Union
Oil
was able to persuade the government to approve a short cut in the way in which oil wells were at that time installed, along with the process of how the wells were secured and protected in order to avoid such disaster’s much like how this very event would inevitably evolve into. These government sanctioned waivers would result in the very thing that caused this massive oil
spill, that at the end of this disaster, would result in a total of over three million gallons of crude oil being spewed into the ocean and spreading “over 35 miles” (Magazine, 2019), ranking at the time as “the worst oil spill in the country’s history” (Magazine, 2019), and “the third-largest oil spill over 50 years later” (Magazine, 2019)
to the day. Scientists also calculate that “between 3700 and 9000 sea birds were killed” (Magazine, 2019)
as a result of being coated in oil and weighted down, inhibiting their flight. Outrage was mounting due to the general decline in the overall ecological decline due to new technologies causing unprecedented consequences agriculture, an alarming rise of pollution in the atmosphere, leading to worsened air quality,
water sources around the nation being polluted with chemicals which would later be identified as toxic, cancer-causing agents, as well, as many other environmental issues that were steadily building. As a response to this disaster, there was national attention brought to this incident which prompted the concern from the general public, local politicians, and even high-ranking members of congress to be called to action. Ultimately, this disaster was met with the creation of the first annual Earth Day observation back on April 22
nd
, 1970. The Santa Barbara oil spill, as tragic as well as heartbreaking as it was, served to be the catalyst in what we all have grown to know and appreciate as our annual Earth Day as well as the helped to facilitate a new wave of environmental awareness and activism that only continues to increase each that passes.
Describe a key historical figure or group’s participation in your historical event.
When going back through the all the events leading up to the creation of Earth Day, it is really one person who was a crucial and key figure when it comes to the first idea and concept of what
we all know today as Earth Day, and that person was a Wisconsin Senator named Gaylord Nelson. Senator Nelson had already been a known environmental activist with strong beliefs which was highly in favor of changes to national government policies in order to preserve our planet. After having been able to witness the devastation in Santa Barbara due to the aftermath of the oil spill, he took note from what was then known as “teach ins” against the Vietnam war, which were essentially a series of prolonged lectures and symposiums held to educate but also as an act of protest. From this idea, Senator Nelson incepted the idea of Earth Day and is credited today as the founder of Earth Day.
Explain the key historical figure or group’s motivation to participate in your historical event.
The motivation behind Senator Gaylord Nelson conceiving the idea which would grow into the worldwide recognized Earth Day, was to bring attention to certain major environmental concerns that were steadily mounting and posing a threat to our earth’s environment. He was inspired to action after seeing the consequences of one of the worst environmental disaster’s this country as ever experienced, the Santa Barbara Oil Spill of 1969. He was further driven and inspired by “teach-ins” against the Vietnam war which were already occurring across the country and were seen to having a significant impact in bringing awareness about the war to much larger groups of people at the same time. He thought that this same type of format or idea could be used in spreading awareness of environmental issues at a much faster rate, and to
much larger groups of people at the same time.
Articulate how the historical context caused or influenced your chosen historical event.
I have always found myself feeling deeply empathetic to the preservation of our planet and seem to always be keenly aware of environmental concerns caused by poor environmental practices by individuals as well as large companies. As a person who sees himself to be acutely aware of the impact, we as a species of humans have, and continue to play in the destruction of our planet along with the deeply concerning environmental fall out that can be seen and that many people all around the world are witnessing almost as if in real time. The results that were rendered as a result of our annual Earth Day
have been life changing and historical. Naturally, due to the correlation between the history of Earth Day
, and my own invested interest with all things environmentally conscious, the details of how Earth Day
originally came to be are something I find to be wildly relevant, fascinating, something that more people worldwide should begin to show a much greater interest in as well.
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Explain how connecting your historical event and current event improves the understanding of your topic.
By reviewing the history of events which led up to my current event I have decided to research, I
feel that I have a much more cohesive and jointed knowledge of my topic. One can never truly appreciate the significance of something without first understanding and acknowledging all of the historical events and details involved that led up to it.
References
Magazine, S. (2019, April 22). How an oil spill inspired the first Earth Day
. Smithsonian.com. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-oil-spill-50-years-ago-inspired-first-earth-day-
180972007/