In the first half of the nineteenth century, a group of painters working in New York City, together with like-minded poets and writers, developed a distinctly American vision of the landscape. Their powerful interpretations of American scenery, which came to be known as the Hudson river School, tell the story of how landscape imagery can shape both national and cultural identity. These works also demonstrated an early awareness of the importance of preserving natural sites for future generations--from the Hudson River to the Yosemite Valley, from the Arctic to South America.