A Plague of Sheep: Environmental Consequences of the Conquest of Mexico

ISBN-13: 9780521574488 / Angielski / Miękka / 1997 / 220 str.

Elinor G. K. Melville; Donald Worster; Alfred W. Crosby

Opis

This is a book about the biological conquest of the New World. Taking as a case study the sixteenth century history of a region of highland central Mexico, it shows how the environmental and social changes brought about by the introduction of Old World species aided European expansion. The book spells out in detail the environmental changes associated with the introduction of Old World grazing animals into New World ecosystems, demonstrates how these changes enabled the Spanish takeover of land, and explains how environmental changes shaped the colonial societies.

Recenzje

"This is a fascinating study of the effects of policy and ecology on a small region in Mexico....All who are interested in historical environmental studies should read this book. Its implications are not limited to Mexico, nor to the early modern period." John F. Schwaller, Sixteenth Century Journal

Spis treści

Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. Alien landscapes; 3. The Australian experience; 4. The Mexican case; 5. The conquest process; 6. The colonial regime; Appendix 1. Sub-areas; Appendix 2. Sources for population estimates; Appendix 3. Sources for land holding and land use; Abbreviations; Glossary; Bibliography.