Enacted in 1906, the antiquities act gives the president the ability to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated on land owned or controlled by the. The antiquities act of 1906 is an act that was passed by the united states congress and signed. With the passage of the antiquities act2 the act in 1906. At the very least, it could have tried sent a bill to the preisdents desk and taken the debate to the american people. The monumental legacy of the antiquities act of 1906. What is the antiquities act and why does president trump. The antiquities act and americas national monuments the. The president of the united states is authorized, in his discretion, to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interested that are situated upon the lands owned or controlled by the.
Pdf the monumental legacy of the antiquities act of 1906. Click download or read online button to get the antiquities act of 1906 book now. Kris hirst our feature story looks into the origins of the antiquities act, placing it within the historical context of social movements in turn of thecentury. His personal testimony was bolstered by a report by anthropologist edgar lee hewett that detailed the cultural and scientific value of the sites. The president of the united states is authorized, in his discretion, to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and.
The monumental legacy of the antiquities act of 1906 by mark. The antiquities act of 1906 and the controversy about it. Through a long process before the act was passed by congress and signed by president theodore roosevelt on june 8, the act became much more important as a measure, and to some in. This law gives the president of the united states the authority to, by presidential proclamation, create national monuments from federal lands to protect significant natural, cultural, or. The act for the preservation of antiquities also called the lacey act was an intentionally broad piece of legislation to set aside historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest in order to stop their destruction. Many scholars, however, have taken a different view. This law gives the president of the united states the authority to, by presidential proclamation, create national monuments from federal lands to protect significant natural. National monuments and the antiquities act congressional research service summary the antiquities act of 1906 54 u. It passed congress as the antiquities act, giving the president authority to set aside natural, scientific, and cultural resources as national monuments under the care of federal agencies. Congress granted the president the power to create national monuments. After the cowboys publicized their discovery of the cliff dwellings tourists began to arrive. It laid the foundation for conservation and preservation laws passed through the 20th century and remains an important statute into the 21st century. As a leader of the progressive political movement, roosevelt encouraged the development of conservation and preservation legislation like the antiquities act.
Jun 26, 2016 washington using his authority under the 1906 antiquities act more frequently than any president in history, president obama has set aside more than 3. Introduction on september 18, 1996, president bill clinton stood on the south rim of the grand canyon and announced the creation of the 1. Signed into law by president theodore roosevelt in 1906, the antiquities act was the first federal regulation to protect the cultural and natural resources of the united states. Cultural extermination, archaeological protection, and the antiquities act of 1906 volume 12 issue 3 chip colwellchanthaphonh skip to main content we use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. The antiquities act has been used by 17 presidents from. The antiquities act of 1906 gives the president power to establish national monuments on public lands through presidential proclamation. The antiquities act of 1906 legislative and congressional. Lacey of iowa introduced a bill in the house drafted by edgar lee hewett.
The lacey act also known as the antiquities act of 1906 was a decade in the making. Mar 31, 2017 the heart of the antiquities act of 1906 is a mere two sentences. The antiquities act centennial archaeology magazine archive. It resulted from concern over decades of looting and destruction of native american sites in the west. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america in congress assembled, that any person who shall appropriate, excavate, injure, or destroy any historic or prehistoric ruin or monument, or any object of antiquity, situated on lands owned or controlled by the government. Sometimes these names say something about the substance of the law as with the 2002 winter olympic commemorative coin act.
Apr 26, 2017 president theodore roosevelt, who signed the antiquities act into law, created 18 monuments, including the grand canyon and olympic national park in washington, totaling more than a million acres. The text of this article was originally published in the theodore roosevelt association journal, volume xxxii, number 3, summer 2011, pages 2438, and is reprinted here using a selection of the original illustrations with permission. The monumental legacy of the antiquities act of 1906 mark squillace i. After a generationlong effort, president theodore roosevelt signed the antiquities act on june 8, 1906. The law was passed during the theodore roosevelt administration, and roosevelt quickly set about. The antiquities act was signed into law in 1906 by president theodore roosevelt. But a good argument can be made that this brief law which authorizes the president to protect objects of historic or. Jun 20, 2007 the antiquities act of 1906 authorizes the president of the united states to declare by public proclamation, historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon federal lands.
The antiquities act and americas national monuments. President theodore roosevelt, who signed the antiquities act into law, created 18 monuments, including the grand canyon and olympic national park in washington, totaling more than a million acres. Origins of the archaeological resources protection act of 1979. Jul 22, 2017 the antiquities act of 1906 grants the president the power to designate national monuments in order to protect historic landmarks and structures. National monuments act 1906 american antiquities law for. It protects all historic and prehistoric sites on federal lands and prohibits excavation or destruction of such antiquities unless a permit antiquities permit is obtained from the secretary of the department which has the jurisdiction over those lands. Extending the scope of the antiquities act the scholarly forum.
This description of the act, as amended, tracks the language of the united states code except that following common usage we refer to the act meaning the act, as amended rather than to the subchapter or the title of the code. Laceys report to congress became the basis for the antiquities act, which was signed into law by president theodore roosevelt on june 8, 1906. The history of american conservation often is told in terms of legal milestones, and rightly so. The antiquities act of 1906 authorizes the president to declare, by proclamation, that objects of historic or scientific interest on lands owned or controlled by the united states, national monuments. It resulted from concern over decades of looting and destruction of.
This text is from the fourth edition of federal historic preservation. The three parts of the antiquities act the act for the preservation of american antiquities, enacted on june 8, 1906 3k stat. Antiquities act law and legal definition uslegal, inc. Presidential authority to revoke or reduce national monument. The public response to the use of presidential power in managing public lands. Since 1906, presidents, both democratic and republican, have used the authority of the antiquities act to proclaim 125 national monuments covering nearly 100 million acres of federal public lands. What is the antiquities act and why does president trump want. The order applies to all new monuments greater than 100,000 acres in size and monuments that were expanded by at. May 12, 2015 in 1906, congress passed the general antiquities act. Antiquities act of 1906 national border, national park.
This law gives the president of the united states the authority to, by presidential proclamation, create national monuments from federal lands to. A controversy about the use of the antiquities act of 1906 has arisen with president clintons intention to preserve large amounts of federal land in the western united states. Monuments protected under the antiquities act national. In rising to the forefront of the national political stage, roosevelt merged the. The antiquities act is a powerful piece of legislation.
The act, drafted by an archaeologist, gave the president the power to set aside objects and structures of historic and scientific interest as national monuments. Used to safeguard and preserve federal lands and cultural and historical sites for all americans to enjoy, 16 presidents have designated 157 national monuments under this authority. The act permits the president unilaterally to reserve federal land for special protection. In 1976, congress reaffirmed its intention to provide the president with land protection authority when it passed the federal land policy and management act. A comprehensive listing of all national monuments established by the presidents of the united states since the passage of the antiquities act of 1906. The antiquities act dates back to 1906 and gives the president power to declare historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest. Patterson of colorado introduced a companion bill in the senate. This is a two page overview of the antiquities act by the wilderness society since congress passed the antiquities act in 1906, presidentsrepublicans and democrats alikehave used the act more than 100 times to preserve some of our most spectacular and historically important public lands. Opinion the endangered antiquities act the new york times. Jan, 2017 the antiquities act of 1906 is one of our nations most important conservation tools.
Dec 30, 2016 this is only possible because congress never repealed or reformed the 1906 antiquities act after presidents of both parties started misusing it. The antiquities act of 1906 defined the study of archaeology as a scientific endeavor and resulted in the protection of 167 million acres of cultural and natural environments. Although its title suggests a focus on archaeology ruins, petroglyphs, etc. Section 2 of the act of june 8, 1906 commonly known as the antiquities act of 1906. Antiquities act of 1906 constitutional law reporter. The antiquities act of 1906 authorizes the president of the united states to declare by public proclamation, historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon federal lands. The antiquities act of 1906 and the hidden treasures of. But a good argument can be made that this brief law which authorizes the president to. On june 8, 1906, president theodore roosevelt signed the bill, which set aside historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest in order to stop their destruction. President obama has used his power under the 1906 antiquities act more than any other president. Pursuant to this power, a president has the corresponding power to revoke prior national monument designations. Repeal the antiquities act of 1906 the national center.
The antiquities act and how theodore roosevelt shaped it. American antiquities act of 1906 16 usc 431433 be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america in congress assembled, that any person who shall appropriate, excavate, injure, or destroy any historic or. The antiquities act of 1906 download ebook pdf, epub. The antiquities act and how theodore roosevelt shaped it francis p. With less than a month to go in office, president barack obama set aside 1. Enacted in 1906, the antiquities act gives the president the ability to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated on land owned or controlled. This history of the antiquities act of 1906 has been prepared. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america in congress assembled, that any person who shall appropriate, excavate, injure, or destroy any historic or prehistoric ruin or monument, or any object of antiquity, situated on lands owned or controlled by the government of the united states, without the permission of the secretary of the department of the. Theodore roosevelt and the antiquities act of 1906. If wikipedia is intended to be an international resource, the title of this article should specify which country this act refers to, e. The monumental legacy of the antiquities act of 1906 by. After a generationlong effort, on june 8, 1906, president theodore roosevelt signed the antiquities act into law, thus establishing the first general legal protection of cultural and natural resources in the united states. The act was originally proposed solely to protect objects of historic interest.
Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of. President clinton created grand staircaseescalante national monument on september 17, 1996. The antiquities act of 1906 and theodore roosevelts interpretation. It was the first legislation designed to protect and preserve historic landmarks, cultural sites, and objects of scientific interest within the united states. It was the first legislation designed to protect and preserve historic landmarks, cultural sites, and objects of. Sometimes they are a way of recognizing or honoring the sponsor or creator of a particular law as with the tafthartley act.
The antiquities act of 1906 is a short and simple law of three sections drafted by archeologist edgar hewitt to protect objects of antiquity on public land. This violation led to the federal antiquities act of 1906 that made it a crime to remove artifacts from archaeological sites. The president is not authorized by congress to revoke monument designations. Distorting the antiquities act to aggrandize executive. John muir and the 1906 antiquities act sierra club. Mar 25, 2015 the antiquities act dates back to 1906 and gives the president power to declare historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. One of the important events during his presidency was the national monuments act also known as the antiquities act. When an object is situated on a parcel covered by a bona fide unperfected claim or held in private ownership, the parcel, or so much of the parcel as may be necessary for the proper care and management of the object, may be relinquished to the federal government and the secretary may accept the relinquishment of the parcel on behalf of the federal government. American antiquities act of 1906 16 usc 431433 be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america in congress assembled, that any person who shall appropriate, excavate, injure, or destroy any historic or prehistoric ruin or monument, or any object. This project includes documents related to the history and historical background of the antiquities act and its implementation during the century since its enactment. The antiquities act was created in 1906 by congress for the purpose of protecting small areas in the southwest with prehistoric ruins and indian artifacts from theft or destruction.
A history of the archaeological resources protection act. Antiquities act its history and use this is a collection of documents related to the history and use of the antiquities act of 1906, the first federal statute for the general preservation of archaeological, cultural, historic, and scientific resources. The provisions of the act are codified at 16 uscs 431433. Lacey of iowa introduced the antiquities act after traveling to several sites in the southwestern united states that had been ravaged by pot hunters. The antiquities act the digital archaeological record. Antiquities act national trust for historic preservation. These curio seekers took away artifacts and destroyed some the of the ruins in order to sell ancient antiquities. As president in june 1906, he signed the act, making it united states law. Iwf its time to abolish the antiquities act of 1906. Obamas national monuments are about more than conservation. Ninety years of the antiquities act brief timeline showing use of the antiquities act. This law gives the president of the united states the authority to, by presidential proclamation, create national monuments from.
This is a collection of documents related to the history and use of the antiquities act of 1906, the first federal statute for the general preservation of archaeological, cultural, historic, and scientific resources. The antiquities act of 1906 authorizes the president of the united states to declare by public proclamation, historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic. Presidential authority to revoke or reduce national. Code usc 3203020303, the president of the united states is authorized to declare historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest, that are situated upon the lands owned or controlled by the federal government, to be. Since then, the antiquities act has mostly been used by presidents to turn public land into national monuments to protect them from commercial development or future mineral exploitation. Jul 31, 2017 american antiquities act of 1906 within this act, 54 u. The antiquities act was enacted in 1906 in response to concerns that native american artifacts were being pillaged from federal lands. This act may be cited as the americas natural treasures of immeasurable quality unite, inspire, and together improve the economies of states act or the antiquities act. Theodore roosevelt, of course, was instrumental in enacting this statute.
President teddy roosevelt signed antiquities act into law in 1906 to prevent the taking of indian artifacts from archaeological sites. The antiquities act dates back to 1906 and gives the president power to declare historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and. It is officially known as an act for the preservation of american antiquities. Over the course of a century, presidents have relied on the antiquities act to protect. The heart of the antiquities act of 1906 is a mere two sentences. National park service, department of the interior, washington, dc. The antiquities act, which became law in 1906 after years of debate, has played a rich and enduring role in protecting our nations history and heritage. The antiquities act of 1906 antiquities act or act, 16 u. Laws acquire popular names as they make their way through congress. Also known as the national monument act preservation of antiquities june 8, 1906, ch. The antiquities act of 1906 is a short and simple law of three sections.
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