• During the Enlightenment, people began to take up causes such as advancing knowledge and reason, advocating for individual rights and freedom, pushing for social reforms, and promoting economic progress to improve the world.

2. What did Thomas Malthus predict?

• He predicted that population growth would eventually outpace food production, leading to widespread famine, poverty, and societal collapse unless population growth was controlled.

3. Give examples of new pollution affecting the world.

• Air pollution that is created by the smoke, wastes from factories.

4.  Why did sanitation become so important?

• Sanitation became crucial during the Enlightenment because rapid urbanization and industrialization led to overcrowded cities with poor living conditions, resulting in outbreaks of diseases that could only be controlled through improved sanitation and waste management.

5. How was the air pollution at this time?

• Air pollution was becoming a significant problem during this time, especially in industrial cities, where the burning of coal created smog and soot, leading to unhealthy air quality and respiratory issues.

6. How was the water pollution at this time? (Khang)

• Water pollution was severe during the Enlightenment, with rivers and streams being heavily contaminated by untreated sewage, industrial waste, and chemical runoff, making water sources unsafe and contributing to disease outbreaks.

7. What happened when the “Mother of the Forest” was cut down? (Alena)

The Mother of the Forest, a 2,500 year old and 300 feet tall sequoia, is chopped and put on display at carnivals. The public did not like the cutting of the tree. Some called it “vandalism” and “villainous speculation.”

17. What did Theodore Roosevelt fight for?

    Theodore Roosevelt fought for major reforms such as direct primaries, campaign finance, civil service, anti-lobbying laws, state income and inheritance taxes, child labor restrictions, pure food, and workmen's compensation laws.

18. What new organizations were formed?

    Many new organizations like the American Federation of Labor (AFL), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Urban League in 1910, the Congress of Spanish Speaking People in 1939, etc. were formed.

20. What type of gasoline was used for the first autos?

    The first autos used a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen for fuel.

21. What was the Chemurgy movement fighting for?

    The Chemurgy movement fought for the idea of opening up industrial markets for farmers; promoting the manufacture of chemical, industrial and consumer products from agricultural raw material.

• Smoke from factories came down as “dust-fall” which is thick pollution in the form of steel and zinc trapped in air. In 1948 Donora, Pennsylvania, the thick smoke killed 20 people, hospitalized 600, and made thousands sick. 

On December 2, 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was founded by President Richard Nixon. 

26. How was air pollution reduced?

On December 31, 1970, the Clean Air Act was enacted. It demanded the automobile industry to develop 90% pollution-free engines within a 6 year deadline. Most industries could not meet the standards due to poor technology and finances. Those automobile industries shut down and air pollution decreased along with it. 

27. How was water pollution reduced?

Many acts were passed such as the 1972 Federal Water Pollution Control Act, Safe Drinking Water Act (1974), and the Soil and Water Conservation Act (1977). 

28. What two new sources of pollution begin causing concern?

Mercury pollution in Minamata, Japan paralyzes many children. The “Minamata Disease” damages muscle control, vision, hearing, and speech. Another source of pollution is uranium and other radioactive wastes. In 1979, 90 million gallons of uranium spilled in Church Rock, Arizona.

In 2001, Bill Clinton signed the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act which protected 58 million acres of national forest.

34. How does the Bush presidency handle global warming and climate change?

Bush handled global warming and climate change differently from the Kyoto Protocol. He enacted his own policy that reduced the intensity of greenhouse gases by 18% over 10 years.

35. How does the world react to leaded gasoline?

The worldwide health campaign sees leaded gases as a health hazard. Europe bans leaded gases.