Agriculture
The Dutch combined smaller fields to make them into larger fields to make better use of the land and used fertilizer from livestock to renew the soil. British farmers expanded on on Dutch experiments. They used different methods of crop rotation. Seed drills and growing turnips are also good for the land and soil. Large fields needed fewer workers because of all the new inventions that were being made which caused the planting of crops a lot faster and easier.(Ellis and Esler)1
The Importance of the Agricultural Revolution to the Industrial Revolution
Crop yield increased
- Enough food was available for people in the cities
- Falling food prices meant more money to spend on consumer goods
- Healthier population which meant decline in death rate, especially in infants
- In the 18th century, the population doubled from 5 million to 10 million
Wool yield increased due to better care of animals and selective breeding
- More wool was available for the textile industry and at less cost
Ready workforce available
- Peasants were turned off their land by enclosures
- Families moved into the cities
- There was much unemployment and many people were looking for work
- Labour was cheap
The agricultural revolution produced the invention of the plow, making large-scale agricultural production possible, and leading to agrarian societies.
The agricultural revolution had such an impact on society that many people call this time period the "dawn of civilization." When the plow was invented, the wheel, writing, and numbers were also invented.
This chart shows the results of the Agricultural Revolution.
An elite gained control of surplus resources and defended their position with arms. This centralization of power and resources eventually led to the development of the state as the rich and powerful developed the institution of the state to further consolidate their gains.
The Agricultural Revolution occurred between 1750 and 1900 when the way in which farmers produced food in this country changed. In 1750 most people lived and worked in villages making food. However it was necessary to increase the amount of food. This was because the population was getting bigger.
This system had many disadvantages. Banks of earth separating the strips were wasted land, drainage was poor and because the farmers new little about fertilisers they had to leave land unused every four years.
It can be argued that there was no Agricultural Revolution as the changes in farming were gradual. By the early nineteenth century farmers were beginning to use the Norfolk Crop rotation system. This system meant that no land had to remain unused.
1. Ellis and Esler - Modern World History Book
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