Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists and the Ecology of New England is a historical nonfiction book written by William Cronon and was first published by Hill and Wang in 1983.
The book explores the dynamics between Native American and English colonization on the land now known as America. Cronon uses the book to argue that Native Americans had a more peaceful and ethical approach to the ecology of their environment. Instead of claiming any rights to the land itself, they chose to claim only usufruct rights, that is, the right to live on the land and use its resources.
Alternately, English colonizers used their advanced technology to abuse the land and change the ecosystem in a way that has lead to the effects of climate change. He argues that the Native Americans had a more symbiotic relationship with the land whereas Europeans dominated the lands and claimed rights over it that were not theirs to claim.
