| This thesis examines the relationship between environmental perceptions, geographic concepts, and land use by focusing on the shift from ranching to farming in early twentieth-century southern Alberta. Predominant historical interpretations posit that a decline in ranching facilitated this shift, and that the decline resulted from either climatic risk or cultural disruption. An analysis of climatic data and other factors demonstrates that environmental hazard was less significant than traditionally assumed. The examination of the historical context reveals that ideas about the land, agriculture, and progress produced an atmosphere in which the decline of ranching appeared to be a natural consequence of modernization. These findings suggest the need for a new approach to the role of environment and culture in the history of early Alberta settlement. |
