The Research On The Origin And Formation Of American National Park System

This paper makes research on the first stage of American national park system, discusses the origin, development and formation process of American national park system from the historical point of view, and analyzes its historical background, deep-level motive, historical condition and changes of protection focus. The paper holds that, in the second half of the 19^th century, America is in the process of westward movement, industrialization and urbanization. In this background, scenic wonders in the west earn close attention, considered as representative of American culture similar to European historic culture by cultural nationalists. To protect the wonders from being damaged, the world's first national park was set up in America. In the end of 19th century, Americans realize the limit of resources, resource protection becomes major aims to set up national parks, and the function of national parks changes from recreation for the public to resource preservation. Under the motive of resource protectionism, lead by the Federal government, America enters an upsurge period of building national parks, when government organization and non-governmental protectionists both take part in the national park movement and thus promote the setting--up of national park system in America. In the formation and development process of national park system, the protection ideology differences represented by Hetchy Hetchy Controversy appear, which results in the final breakup of conservation and preservation. Further development of national park movement gives birth to the National Park Service. National park's America origin has its historical condition, and this paper analyses the reasons from the following aspects: cultural characteristics, system tradition, historical condition and economic factor.The essay consists of introduction, body and conclusions. The introduction part defines the research object and makes reviews and evaluations on the research achievements in the academic field.The first part in the body introduces the historical background and ideological origins for setting up American national parks.The second part describes the beginning of national park system, the appearance of the definition and practice process, introduces the setting up of the milestone Yellow Stone National Park and points up the motive function of cultural nationalism in the development process of early national parks.The third part in the major part of this paper, consisting of the following contents: national park movement in the end of the 19th century, Hetchy Hetchy Controversy, the birth of National Park Service and the early policies of this Administration.The fourth part analyzes the reasons why national park's originates in America from the following aspects: cultural, systematic, economic and historical condition.The conclusion part summarizes the contribution, significance and meaning of the theory and practice of American national parks to other national parks in other countries.