Agricultural Revolution: Innovations, Growth & Trade Impact

Farming Innovations

The old method of farming involved leaving one field fallow every third year. The Dutch, seeking to maximize land use, developed a system of crop rotation. This involved growing different crops (wheat, turnip, barley, clover) on the same field each year. Each crop utilized different chemicals and minerals from the soil. By the mid-eighteenth century, wealthy British farmers enthusiastically adopted crop rotation.

Traditionally, seeds were sown by hand, with much being lost to wind or birds. Jethro Tull invented a seed drill that dug a hole, trickled in the seed, and covered it with earth. Sowing seeds in rows also made weeding easier. Another innovation was the horse hoe, which allowed for weeding multiple rows at once. By the mid-eighteenth century, both the seed drill and the horse hoe were gaining popularity.

Enclosure Movement

A major change was the enclosure movement. If four-fifths of landowners agreed, an Act of Parliament could consolidate village land and redistribute it based on ownership. Everyone had to pay for the Act and fencing. Often, poor farmers received distant or poor land, leading many to sell and work for richer farmers or move to towns. The poorest, without legal rights to land, received nothing. Some small farmers turned to producing vegetables or eggs for the growing towns or found work in transport.

Population Growth

Improved living conditions in Europe, due to advances in nutrition, hygiene, and medicine, led to population growth. This increased demand for food and goods, stimulating agricultural and industrial production and providing a larger workforce.

Trade Expansion

Maritime trade routes led to rapid transatlantic commerce. Domestic trade also increased due to greater demand, improved transport, and the absence of internal duties. This trade expansion encouraged industrialization, as profits were often used to finance industrial development.

Technological Progress

New machines enabled factories to produce goods more quickly and cheaply, decreasing prices for consumers. The invention of the reliable steam engine by James Watt between 1763 and 1775 revolutionized many sectors, including agriculture, mining, industry, and transport.

Financial Support

Agriculture and commercial activities provided capital for investment in industry. This was essential because industries required large amounts of money for factories, machinery, raw materials, fuel, and workers’ wages.

Political and Social Structure

The parliamentary monarchy allowed the bourgeoisie to participate in government and political decision-making. This social group promoted measures that advanced its economic interests, such as laws to liberalize industrial production.