18th Century Economy

Agricultural Revolution State of agriculture in 1700’s Peasants and artisans had about the same standard of living as in the Middle Ages Battled hunger and lacked clothing and housing Agriculture had changed little since Middle Ages 80% of western Europeans were farmers Agricultural output was very low Open field system Failed harvest (famines) Malnourished

Open Field System Common lands were open and strips of land for agriculture were not divided by fences or hedges Open fields were farmed by community Exhaustion of soil Agriculture in villages changed little over time

Leaders In the 18th century, England, the Netherlands, and France became leaders for increased agriculture, industry and trade that resulted in population growth

Features Increased production of food New methods of cultivation Increased crop and animal yields could feed more people New methods of cultivation Crops were grown on wastelands and uncultivated common lands Selective breeding of livestock Led to better cultivation as a result of healthier animals

Science and Technology Low Countries led the way Increased population meant that finding new methods of agricultural become paramount The Dutch enclosed fields, rotated crops, employed heavy use of manure for fertilizer and planted wide variety of crops Use of drainage to reclaim wetlands from flooding

England By 1870, crop yields had tripled since 1700 with only 14% increase in people working the land Charles Townsend pioneered crop rotation He studied Dutch techniques, use of certain crops to replenish soil

Livestock Increased food for livestock meant mass slaughter of animals was no longer needed prior to winter Animal feed year round sustained livestock People ate more fresh meat through salting

Jethro Tull 1674-1741 Good example of how the empiricism of the scientific revolution was applied to agriculture His seed drill allowed for sowing of crops in a straight row rather than scattering it by hand Used horses for plowing rather than slower oxen

Robert Bakewell 1725-1795 Pioneered selective breeding of livestock Larger and healthier animals were developed Resulted in increased availability of meat, wool, leather, soap More manure became available for fertilizing

Columbian Exchange New foods from the New World became available Potatoes and corn were among the most important: highly nutritious and relatively easy to grow

The Columbian Exchange From the New World to Europe From Europe to the New World Disease Syphilis Plants Potatoes, Corn, Tomatoes, Pineapples, Tobacco, Beans, Vanilla, Chocolate Animals Turkeys Gold and Silver Disease Small pox, Measles, Bubonic, Plague, Influenza Plants Wheat, Sugar, Rice, Coffee Animals Horses, Cows, Pigs, Sheep, Goats, Chickens

Enclosure Movement Landowners sought to increase profits from wool production by enclosing fields for raising sheep Differed from 18th century enclosure that was based largely on agriculture End to the open field system Resulted in the commercialization of agriculture

Enclosure's Impact Many were forced off lands that had once been common Many moved to towns or cities looking for work since work was less available in the countryside In some cases, enclosure freed men to pursue other economic opportunities, such as the cottage industry

Hierarchical System A few landowners (gentry) dominated the economy and politics Strong and prosperous tenant farmers rented land form the large landowners Some small peasants farmers owned their own land A huge number of peasants became wage earners on farms or in the cottage industry

Impact of the Agricultural Revolution Led to Europe’s population explosion in the 18th century Altered society in the countryside Common lands closed The cottage industry emerged Increased food supply of food resulted in lower food prices

Population Explosion

Limits Famine, disease, and warfare kept population growth in check Not until mid-16th century did Europe’s population reach pre-Black Death levels in early 1300’s

Causes of Population Explosion Agricultural Rev. led to more food New foods from New World Improved food transportation Better diets Disappearance of bubonic plague Improved sanitation

Cottage Industry

Work from home Raw materials were provided to rural families who produced semi-finished or finished product back to merchants Wool cloth was the most important product Family enterprise Thousands of poor rural families were able to make an income

Mercantilism

Characteristics Main goal: economic self-sufficiency A country or empire sought to create a favorable balance of trade by exporting more than it imported Bullionism Colonies were acquired to provide raw materials States granted monopolies

Triangular Trade Revolved around the West Indies in the Caribbean and included North America and Africa

Slave Trade

Atlantic Trade Dramatic growth in the Atlantic trade was due in large part to the use of slave labor About 10 million Africans were transported to the New World 50% aboard British ships 25% aboard French ships 25% aboard Dutch, Portuguese, Danish, American

Slaves Most slaves were actually captured by rival African tribes who traded slaves for European goods such as cloth, alcohol, and weapons Between 20-33% died en route to New World “Middle Passage”

Life in the 18th Century

Marriage and Family After 1750 More income meant people married for love, not economic reasons People did not have to wait long to become independent

Child Rearing Children were often treated indifferently and with strict physical discipline “Spare the rod and spoil the child” Daniel Defoe Many children worked in factories, injured

Education Beginning of formal education for the masses, largely inspired by Protestantism “Little Schools” appeared Literacy by 1800 90% of Scottish males 66% of French males 50% of British males Women were increasingly literate but lagged behind men in general

Life Expectancy The life spans of European increased from 25 to 35 years in the 18th century Increase in public health techniques Sanitation Vaccination Better clothing Warm dry housing Adequate food

Medical Improvements Conquest of the smallpox was greatest medical triumph of the 18th century Edward Jenner Created foundation for the science of immunology with his vaccine of smallpox