A Changing Society

Population Changes New developments in agriculture forced many people to seek work in cities yet also increased food production which led to a growing population This growing population provided workers for factories New towns and cities grew around factories By 1851, urban population grew 41%

Medieval Farm System Farmers and farm labourers in Britain worked small and scattered strips of land Common lands were available for livestock grazing and foraging Lived in small villages Little changed in daily life

Enclosures Change Agriculture With enclosures, landowners combined the many small strips of land into large fields and enclosed them with fences Turned many plots into one large field More efficient farming system

Small Farmers in Turmoil Common lands became private Villagers who used to be able to use common lands for foraging and livestock grazing were cut off Only the rich could afford to pay fees required to use the land Many small farmers had to sell their small plots of land to rich farmers

Big Business of Farming Landowners began to farm to make a profit rather than to feed their family Enclosures encouraged this change Farmers willing to invest money in new technology

Seeding the Land Seeds were broadcast Throwing them broadly by hand Medieval Agricultural Revolution Seeds were broadcast Throwing them broadly by hand Many seeds eaten by birds The Seed drill pulled by horses and planted seeds in uniform rows Less wasteful and faster than broadcasting Reduced labour

Crop Rotation Land was left to fallow Medieval Agricultural Revolution Land was left to fallow Left unplanted to recover nutrients in the soil so crops could grow next year Common Planting- growing plants like corn, beans, and squash together for mutual benefit Rotating crops of turnips, barley, grasses, and wheat from field to field allowed farmers to use all lands every year Turnips release nutrients into the soli Grasses fed to livestock

New Crops Travelers from the Americas brought back corn, beans, squash, and potatoes Corn helped to increase the livestock population Potatoes became a staple in Ireland

Livestock An increase in fodder (plants to feed animals) they could keep more animals and breed them for profit Cattle was now bred to provide meat instead of just milk Sheep bred to have thicker wool Livestock bred to be more resistant to disease

Agriculture and the Industrial Revolution Farmers were now more productive than ever before and fewer were needed to feed the large city populations Many small farmers unable to invest in new plants and animals sold farms and moved to the city Food and people were available to encourage the industrial Revolution