John Muir Biography

John Muir was a muckraker who protested against the expansion of people and animals that would ruin our soon to be national parks. Muir was a man that loved to explore natural formations in nature and traveled around the world to see as much natural land as possible. As he traveled around the world, he found out that California was his place to live. In California, his favorite places to explore and watch were the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Yosemite. As more and more settlers moved West, the land that Muir loved was soon to be destroyed by herds of animals and people looking for a place to build their homes. Muir wrote most of his 300 articles and 10 major books in Oakland, California. In Muir’s writings, he elegantly

In the serious yet optimistic journal entry, John Muir employs the idea of spiritual duty, and personification, as humans to preserves the continuously killed Redwoods. Muir has seen the death of hundreds of trees and knows the irreparable damage it could cause if the damage continues, “...kings of the forest, the noblest of a noble race, rightly belong to the world, but as they are in California we cannot escape responsibility as their guardians” (paragraph, 6). The author’s use of “noblest of a noble race” and “responsibility as their guardian” evokes an intense need to not only protest the killing of these giants but to nurture and advocate respect for the Redwoods. As humans, Muir demands an explanation as to our mistreatment of the sacred creatures and will take no other answers than of one that demonstrates total and complete love for the trees. He expects those who are damaging God’s prized forests to questions themselves and to examine their actions so that they can correct their mistakes. Another example of personification that appeals to the trees is John Muir’s description of the insurgence of rebellion against the murder of the trees, and the rejoicing of the behemoths, “... this righteous uprising in defense of God’s trees in the midst of exciting politics and wars… and every Sequoia… has heard the good news and is waving its branches for joy” (paragraph, 1). The words in this sentence serve primarily to illustrate the tree’s emotions. By giving the trees the ability to feel and exhibit joy over their possibly brighter future, it gives people a sense of pride about alleviating some of the Redwood’s pain. As Muir has demonstrated many times before, it is the people's duty to cherish the Redwoods; there will never be a moment when this job is completed.

Muir was captivated by nature at an early age and he traveled to explore the environment. An early memory of a walk was with his grandfather. Muir heard a sound and “dug into the haystack until he uncovered a mother field mouse with half-dozen tiny babies clinging to her teats. In that moment the wondrous world of nature began to open for Johnnie Muir.” Ever since that walk with his grandfather, John Muir was

“Timber!” is a word that engulfed Woodrow Wilson in fear, as a loving, determined environmentalist he was the driving force behind the Organic Act of 1916. Wilson’s Organic Act set grounds for the founding of the National Park Service, which sets and enforces regulations that protect National Parks. Woodrow Wilson’s determination, conveyed by his adamant support for the Organic Act, was evident throughout Wilson’s lifetime. Wilson realized how important it was to protect America’s land and took action to protect it. Through the Organic Act, Wilson was able to save the current thirty-five national parks and land for hundreds of future national parks throughout the United States. The founding of the National Park Service was a major part of Wilson’s plan to preserve and protect America 's natural land. Wilson’s idea of preservation of the United States’ land has lived throughout the years through the National Park Service. The National Park Service today continues with the same responsibilities along with a multifarious collection of others. The actions taken in the Organic Act of 1916 have helped eternalize the ideas proposed by President Wilson by preserving the scarce remaining natural land of America.

Aldo Leopold laid the foundation for environmental awareness decades ahead of a “ecological conscience” (257). There have many pleas to reconnect humanity with nature since the release of Leopold’s cherished book. Intuition and reason tell us that living in harmony with our world is more than idealistic—the future of our planet depends on it. The desire for harmony is not new one. Humans have long time sought to live in peace. It is genuine feelings of love and

John Muir is arguably the most influential conservationist in American history. He was an active member in the preservation of the American wilderness from the late 1800’s until he passed in 1914. Muir is often referred to as the “Father of the National Parks” because of his efforts in the establishment of several National Parks. One of the biggest flaws of American history textbooks in need of change is the fact that they do not include the conservationists who have preserved the environment so today the same beauty can be see the way that they saw it. John Muir was involved in many American conservation efforts including the co-founding of Yosemite National Park, founding of the Sierra Club, and his overall career as a

Roosevelt protected the Grand Canyon, naming it the Grand Canyon National Monument. He said this about the canyon, " Leave it as it is. You cannot improve upon it, not a bit. What you can do is keep it for your children, your children 's children, for all who come after you." America can thank T.R. for the fact that all these national monuments, forests, and parks exist today.

First and foremost a researcher of the environment, Muir believed that by spending time in nature, he could more deeply understand the earth and all of the knowledge it has to offer. During one of his numerous expeditions in the Yosemite Valley in 1869, Muir remarks that “…these lawless wanderings will be valuable as suggestive beginnings… if I should return to the awkward rules & laws of civilization & be buried as a strand into the thick of society.” He knows that if he returns to civilization, his excursions will be no more than beginnings of research that will serve no real purpose. He further comments that, “These sweet free roamings be as little chinks & seams on life’s horizon whence I may obtain narrow glimpses of the treasures of the Kingdoms of Nature beyond.” Just as the horizon blocks out sunlight, Muir argues that civilization blocks out the opportunity to discover

Teddy had sided with John Muir at this time, believing that all natural resources must stay conserved. With that being said, he went on to form national parks, forest, monuments, reservations, and much more. He had also become known as an adventure for his love of big-game hunts. By Teddy putting out more natural resources, the communities and states within America were much more healthier, cleaner, and happier. Teddy Roosevelt is someone who can always be looked at as a

First arriving at the Yosemite Valley in 1869, John Muir lived in the valley for years and knew it its beauty by heart. Feeling an innate admiration towards the wilderness, he considered the valley to be a sanctuary from the Industrial West and a revelation of God; “He contemplated the life of a raindrop, probed the mosses growing underneath alpine meadows, marveled at the tenacity of plants somehow clinging to life on bare granite, soaked sequoia cones in water and drank the purple liquid ‘to improve my color,’ he explained, ‘and render myself more tree-wise and sequoical.’” Eager to share the beauty of Yosemite, he guided visitors onto a spiritual journey in the park, and in the 1890s, he stopped the reclusive life in Yosemite and started to teach and write about value of wilderness. With poetic and passionate language, his writings empowered his audience with a new level of sensitivity to the beauty of nature and achieved great popularity in the national market as it catered to the curiosity and the myth of the west, and his book The Mountains of California was recognized as “the most consequential awakening of the public

Both John Muir and Gifford Pinchot aimed to protect North American wilderness due to unregulated land development but form different perspectives. John Muir is one of the key figure to promote the idea of preservation. (Bulkan J., 2016) In his understanding wilderness offers people an opportunity to revisit and experience nature away from busy city lives. (Difference Between Conservation and Preservation., 2011)

Spending most of his life out in nature Muir became a self taught scientist who suggested that the Yosemite Valley had been formed by glaciers and today his theory is still being used. In addition Muir pleaded for the preservation of Hetch Hetchy valley they were going to build a dam to supply water to the nearest communities the outcome of this was disastrous breaking Muir heart because he knew that the beauty of the Hetch Hetchy would be destroyed by man. After the loss of the valley Muir was disappointed quoting “These temple destroyers, devotees of ravaging commercialism, seem to have a perfect contempt for Nature, and instead of lifting their eyes to the God of the mountains, lift them to the almighty Dollar.” Here we see the spiritual connection Muir had with the natural environment, believing that the beauty of nature is life and it should be respected and preserved because it's all we

Theodore Roosevelt’s visionary leadership led to the preservation of our natural resources. Theodore Roosevelt loved nature and believed our natural resources were one of America’s greatest treasures. In his lifetime he had seen the slow erosion of these resources to urban development and industrialization. He knew he had to act quickly to protect these resources, but

Phrases such as “botanising in glorious freedom [...] wandering through innumerable tamarac and arbor-vitae swamps, and forests [...], rejoicing in their bound wealth and strength and beauty, climbing the trees, revelling in their flowers and fruit [...], glorying in the fresh cool beauty and charm of the bog [...] displayed in boundless profusion”, “rarest and most beautiful”, and “I was able to wander many a long wild fertile mile in the forests and bogs, free as the winds, gathering plants, and glorying in God's abounding inexhaustible spiritual beauty bread”, all show how Muir felt about nature and what nature meant to him. A key phrase that shows Muir’s attitude towards nature states, “Storms, thunderclouds, winds in the woods—were welcomed as friends”. These phrases, as well as the words mentioned above, are extremely positive and show the utmost joy Muir found in his surroundings. The long and detailed descriptions of Muir’s surroundings helps to reinforce his joy in nature. The words that Muir uses to describe nature shows that he is close to nature and feels a connection with it. These positive words also show how absolutely stunning Muir finds nature and how he finds peace and joy in the wild. All of this is also supported by one of Muir’s

President Theodore Roosevelt formed national parks to preserve natural resources during his presidency as it is important for our natural resource heritage. For example, President Roosevelt separated more than 100 million acres of land for nationally conserved forest for his conservation strategy. As a president, Roosevelt used his authority to protect the lands and its inhabitants. By naming lands as nationally conserved forests made the place more safe and secure from destruction. This was the only way to protect the animals and wildlife in the forest, and Roosevelt achieved two things by separating 100 million acres of land. Also, President Theodore Roosevelt established five new national parks during his presidency and added more land to one national park. Nothing is valued by the new generation that is growing up other than their phones and gadgets. President Theodore Roosevelt recognized five