Independence Hall

“Nearly 10% of Pennsylvania's population relies on the Schuylkill River for all or part of their water.”

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Models of History

Technological Determinist:

Emphasis on gradual human progress through technological advances. All events in this region are connected to technological change. The blending of human invention with nature.

Consensus:

Emphasis on groups of people coming together around common ideas and assumptions. Heavy Emphasis on patriotic key words: revolution, liberty, “American-spirit”.

Materialist:

Isolated emphasis on group struggle. (Valley Forge, coal workers)

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the 1800s and 1900s it was the people and things that were considered most important to history and progress, and the environment was not properly cared for. But in the late-twentieth century progress in the sciences created a new sense urgency for preserving the environment. The Schuylkill River Heritage Area takes environmental preservation seriously and incorporates the initiative within their overall theme. Although the Schuylkill River Heritage Area contains landmarks such as the Ashland Coal Tunnel and Independence Hall, it is the heritage area’s environmental initiative which makes it a late-twentieth century program.