考研英语一 2023年 · 真题整卷

Last year marked the 150th anniversary of a series of Yellowstone photographs by the renowned landscape photographer William Henry Jackson. Jackson snapped the first-ever shots of iconic landmarks such as the Tetons, Old Faithful and the Colorado Rockies on a late 19th-century expedition through the Yellowstone Basin, conducted by the head of the U.S. Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories, Ferdinand V. Hayden. The team included a meteorologist, a zoologist, a mineralogist, and an agricultural statistician.

Two centuries ago, the idea of preserving nature, rather than exploiting it, was a novel one to many US settlers. One of the turning points in public support for land conservation efforts—and recognizing the magnificence of the Yellowstone region in particular—came in the form of vivid photographs.

As an effective Washington operator, Hayden sensed that he could capitalize on the expedition's stunning visuals. He asked Jackson to print out large copies and distributed them, along with reproductions of Moran's paintings, to each member of Congress. "The visualization, particularly those photographs, really hit home that this is something that has to be protected," says Alicia Murphy, Yellowstone's park historian.

Throughout the trip, Jackson juggled multiple cameras and plate sizes using the collodion process that involved coating the plates with a chemical mixture, exposing them and developing the resulting images with a portable darkroom. The crude technique required educated guesses on exposure times, and involved heavy, awkward equipment—several men had to assist in its transportation. Despite these challenges, Jackson captured dozens of striking photos, ranging from majestic images like his now-famous snapshot of Old Faithful, to casual portraits of expedition members at the camp. While veterans of previous expeditions had written at length about stunning sights, these vivid photographs were another thing entirely.

The journey officially began in Ogden, Utah, on June 8, 1871. Over nearly four months, dozens of men made their way on horseback into Montana and traversed along the Yellowstone River and around Yellowstone Lake. That fall, they concluded the survey in Fort Bridger, Wyoming.

Though Native Americans (and later miners and fur trappers) had long recognized the area's riches, most Americans did not. That's why Hayden's expedition aimed to produce a fuller understanding of the Yellowstone River region, from its hot springs and waterfalls to its variety of flora and fauna. In addition to the entourage of scientists, the team also included artists: Painter Thomas Moran and photographer Jackson were charged with capturing this astounding natural beauty and sharing it with the world.

The bill proved largely popular and sailed through Congress with large majorities in favor. In quick succession, the Senate and House passed legislation protecting Yellowstone in early 1872. That March, President Ulysses S. Grant signed an act into law that established Yellowstone as the world's first national park. While some locals opposed the designation, the decision was largely accepted—and Jackson's photos played a key role in the fight to protect the area. "I don't believe that the legal protection would have happened in the time frame that it did without those images," says Heather Hansen, journalist and author of Prophets and Moguls, Rangers and Rogues, Bison and Bears: 100 Years of the National Park Service.

Perhaps most importantly, these images provided documentary evidence that later made its way to government officials. Weeks after completing the expedition, Hayden collected his team's observations into an extensive report aimed at convincing senators and representatives, along with colleagues at government agencies like the Department of the Interior, that Yellowstone ought to be preserved.