Which movement focused on protecting natural resources and establishing protected lands and national parks?

• A. Environmentalism
• B. Conservation Movement
• C. Industrial Safety Movement
• D. Labor Reform

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is how Americans began to actively manage and safeguard natural resources through government action, balancing use with protection. This is the Conservation Movement, which, led by figures like Gifford Pinchot and Theodore Roosevelt, pushed for scientific, planned use of resources such as forests, water, and minerals so they wouldn’t be depleted. A central goal of this approach was to set aside land for public benefit while allowing regulated, sustainable use, which included creating and expanding protected lands and national parks. While preservationists argued for keeping nature completely untouched, the conservation mindset framed protection in terms of prudent management that would still allow use, and it directly contributed to the establishment of protected areas and parks. The other options don’t fit this focus: environmentalism as a broader, later movement emphasizes protecting ecosystems more generally; the Industrial Safety Movement centers on improving workplace safety; and Labor Reform concentrates on workers’ rights and conditions.