How Yellowstone Became the First National Park

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1. 01How Yellowstone Became the First National Park

   Good afternoon, everyone. Last summer, I watched a geyser shoot hot water into the sky in Yellowstone. Standing there, I wondered: who decided that this land should belong to everyone? Today, I'll explain how the idea of a national park began.

   大家午安。去年夏天，我在黃石看到一座間歇泉把熱水噴向天空。站在那裡，我忍不住想：是誰決定這片土地應該屬於所有人的？今天，我要說明國家公園這個概念是怎麼開始的。

2. 02A Land of Wonders

   Yellowstone is famous for its geysers, colorful hot springs, and wild animals like bison and bears. Even today, descriptions of boiling mud and exploding water sound almost unbelievable.

   黃石以間歇泉、色彩繽紛的溫泉，還有野牛和熊等野生動物聞名。即使到了今天，那些關於滾燙泥漿和噴發熱水的描述，聽起來還是讓人幾乎不敢相信。

3. 03March 1, 1872

   On March first, eighteen seventy-two, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the law that created Yellowstone National Park. It is known as the first national park.

   1872年3月1日，尤利西斯·S·格蘭特總統簽署了設立黃石國家公園的法律。它被稱為世界上第一座國家公園。

   Source: U.S. National Park Service, "Grant and Yellowstone"

4. 04A Revolutionary Idea

   What made it revolutionary was the purpose. The law set the land aside as a public park "for the benefit and enjoyment of the people." In other words, beautiful nature would not belong only to the rich or be sold for profit.

   它之所以劃時代，在於它的目的。這部法律把這片土地保留下來作為公共公園，「為了人民的利益與享受」。也就是說，美麗的大自然不會只屬於有錢人，也不會為了營利被賣掉。

   Source: U.S. National Park Service, "Grant and Yellowstone"

5. 05Not the Whole Story

   But we should tell the whole story. According to the National Park Service, people have spent time in the Yellowstone region for more than eleven thousand years, and twenty-seven tribes have connections to the park. Their history is part of Yellowstone, too.

   不過，我們應該把故事講完整。根據美國國家公園管理局的資料，人類在黃石地區活動已經超過一萬一千年，而且有二十七個部族和這座公園有淵源。他們的歷史也是黃石的一部分。

   Source: U.S. National Park Service, Yellowstone "Associated Tribes" and "Park History"

6. 06From One Park to Hundreds

   From that one park, the idea grew. Today, the U.S. National Park Service manages more than four hundred sites, including sixty-three national parks, and many countries around the world have created their own.

   從這一座公園開始，這個理念逐漸擴大。現在，美國國家公園管理局管理超過四百個地點，其中包括六十三座國家公園，世界上也有很多國家設立了自己的國家公園。

   Source: U.S. National Park Service, "National Park System"

7. 07What It Means for Travelers

   For us as visitors, the idea of "for the people" comes with responsibility. Stay on the trails, keep a safe distance from wild animals, and leave nothing behind, so the next visitors can enjoy it too.

   對我們這些遊客來說，「為了人民」這個理念也伴隨著責任。請走在步道上，跟野生動物保持安全距離，不要留下任何東西，讓下一批遊客也能好好享受。

8. 08Conclusion

   To sum up, in 1872 a simple but powerful idea was born: some places are too special to belong to anyone, so they should belong to everyone. Next time you visit a national park, remember that idea. Thank you.

   總結來說，1872年誕生了一個簡單卻有力的想法：有些地方太特別了，不該屬於任何一個人，所以應該屬於所有人。下次你們去國家公園的時候，請記得這個想法。謝謝大家。

   Source: U.S. National Park Service, "Grant and Yellowstone"