The Birth of National Parks

This chapter explores the establishment of Yellowstone as the first national park in the U.S. amid tensions between conservation efforts and capitalist interests during the Gilded Age. It highlights the role of early management and the military in protecting the park, alongside influential figures like John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt in the push for national monument designations. The discussion culminates in the significance of the 1916 Organic Act, which founded the National Park Service to ensure the preservation of natural landmarks.