"Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring helped revolutionize the public consciousness and form the modern environmental movement." Courtesy of Chesapeake Bay Foundation
RACHEL CARSON
COMMUNICATION IN HISTORY
NATIONAL HISTORY DAY 2021
"Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring helped revolutionize the public consciousness and form the modern environmental movement." Courtesy of Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Following World War II, pesticides were used indiscriminately to kill pests and prevent disease. After witnessing the environmental destruction this caused, Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring to warn the nation about the deadly consequences of pesticides. She effectively communicated scientific findings in a manner that average Americans could understand. The book, combined with the fact that she was a female scientist without a degree in biochemistry, spurred controversy that attracted more readers. Ultimately, her work led to the banning of DDT and the birth of the modern environmental movement.
"Conservation is a cause that has no end. There is no point at which we will say our work is finished."
- Rachel Carson