Zachary Bennett

Zachary Bennett is an environmental historian of North America and the Atlantic World. His research explores how natural resources and energy impacted colonization.

Bennett’s book project, Contested Currents: Rivers and the Remaking of New England, surveys the transformation of the Northeast from the perspective of the region's many waterways. Contested Currents reframes English conquest as a struggle primarily waged to control the region's waterpower. Bennett's work has appeared in several academic journals, with his article "Canoes of Great Swiftness" winning the John M. Murrin Prize from the McNeil Center for Early American Studies.

He teaches courses at Norwich on colonial North America, the Age of Revolutions, Native Americans, and the African Diaspora. His next research projects explore the Anglo-Wabanaki wars in northern New England and how energy technology contributed to the rise of slavery in the Caribbean.

Ph.D. Early American History and African Diaspora, Rutgers University
M.A. History, Miami University
B.A. History, Northern Michigan University

Professor Bennett is an early American historian specializing in the 1600s and 1700s, with a focus on how environment and technology shaped power. His research uncovers overlooked stories — from New England waterways to colonial conflicts — highlighting how past decisions influenced the foundations of society. His forthcoming book, Contested Currents: Rivers and the Remaking of New England (Oct. 2026), traces the history of regional dams and their broader impacts.

He teaches historical methods at Norwich, mentoring students in archival research and transforming primary sources into meaningful narratives. He emphasizes passion, critical thinking, and connecting local histories to global contexts as essential tools for both scholarship and informed citizenship.

Contested Currents: Rivers and the Remaking of New England (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2026).

“‘Canoes of Great Swiftness’: Rivercraft and War in the Northeast,” Early American Studies 21, no. 2 (2023): 205–32.

“‘A Means of Removing Them Further From Us’: The Struggle for Waterpower on New England’s Eastern Frontier,” New England Quarterly 90, no. 4 (2017): 540–60.