History Behind: The Yellowstone National Park Law

The act was signed into law by president Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. It set apart a piece of land near the Yosemite river and designated it as a public park.

This law came into action following an expedition from scientist Ferdinand Hayden, who sent reports back to the government describing his discoveries – to be published in a magazine. Following this expedition, Hayden would begin to garner support to keep Yellowstone protected as a national park. His work had basically proven that this land held no worth in terms of mining or any agricultural processes – therefore it must serve the purpose as a place for tourism and science.

Another argument for the preservation was the amount of revenue the park would bring in, as well as the amount of settlers around or in the area of the park.

Though public parks had been done before, federally reserved land would be new territory. This land would be given to the Department of the Interior for management. However, many were scared that this was just another ploy for politicians to gain more money. Some argued that this was taking land away from other settlers. Another large argument was that it was taking away land from Native American tribes, namely the Sioux in the area. Despite all of this, it would pass the House before moving to president Grant’s office – where it was signed. This act created the first national park ever.

This act created the first national park in the United States, or at a larger scale, in the world. Though from this act, a debate was created once more: how much power is too much power for the government to have? This act gave the department of interior a great scale of land to preserve, land that previously belonged to states for management. Some argued that the states should continue ownership, while others believed it should be up to the federal government. In the end, the passage of the act, it established yet another level of federal power – this new aspect being the preservation of land. Historians have both a negative and positive view, as the passage gave us the preservation of national parks while also allowing for native’s lands to be stripped from them. The large running, contentious relationship between the U.S government and Native tribes for land is only built with this act. This act was part of a larger plan to use reservations to destroy tribes and attempt to assimilate Natives into American society as opposed to keeping their culture. 

Previously in the 1840s, a city park movement had begun by Europeans coming into North America. With a growing amount of leisure time for middle-class Americans, popularity and interest in nature had begun to spark.

Previously, this land had been controlled by states. National parks would be controlled on a federal level of power, entering yet another debate about the government’s power and role in land and nature (continuing theme). What would this mean for native Americans on the exertion of this federal power?

This followed the Homestead Act of 1862, which meant this act angered many. They believed that the act allowed them to settle anywhere, meaning this law was basically taking away possible land from them. 

This act also meant that land has been taken away from another Native tribe, the Sioux. This is another example of the disregard Americans had for the land of Natives, believing their right to land over the Natives. This act is another example of the many ways in which natives have been displaced and taken from the land of which they have the rights. This act caused the forced removal of Indigenous tribes in or around the area.