AP EURO Unit #3 – Scientific Revolution and the Era of the Enlightenment Lesson #304 Agricultural Revolution

Essential Questions What change will be effected by the enclosure movement? How will the Agricultural Revolution eventually feed into the Industrial Revolution?

What WAS the Agricultural Revolution? 80% of people in Western Europe still lived on the farm – owned a few strips of land; most survived on what they grew % was even higher in the East Output was poor: only five bushels harvest for every bushel sown Every 3 seasons was poor; every 8-9 was a disaster Textbook Definition: The transformation of farming in Europe, from “subsistence” farming to farming for profit. This was only possible when investors will willing to be innovative and take risks Most poor farmers were “bought out” during this era, and had to find a job for wages (rather than trade) Become a farm hand, or find a job in the city

The Start of the era Population was back on the rise in the 18th century That meant a rise in the bread prices Rich land owners started looking for ways to maximize profits – GET RICH QUICKER The Dutch and the English were the first to manage land more effectively

The Open Field System For more than 1000 years, Europeans survived with complete dependence on their village Each village would decide when to plant, and what to plant People lived clustered in a village, surrounded by four sections of land, each divided into strips of land. Families owned a set # of strips, and as much as half was owned by the Lord The whole village worked together, rotating the crop type each season Wheat, rye, oats, beans One section would be left to “fallow

Open Field System

Open Field System

The Open Field System Most people had some livestock, and let it wander on common land Chickens, goats (for milk), sheep (for milk or wool) were common Cows were usually killed by winter – too expensive to feed during the winter months Cattle (oxen) and horses were often owned in common, and were also pastured on common land (“the commons”)

Charles “Turnip” Townshend Was a whig MP – Chancellor of the exchequer for 10 years Retired from politics 1730 – got in to experimental farming Experimented with crop rotation: turnips or clover, instead of letting the land fallow Clover replenished soil, and allowed common land to be expanded – more grazing animals Turnips were “fodder” crops – good to keep animals alive through winter

Robert Bakewell Experimented with scientific breeding of cows Hardier, meatier, more milk He tried revolutionary techniques with grassland irrigation, flooding and fertilizing pasturelands Result: 1700: average bull weighed 370# at slaughter 1786: weight was 840# Sheep breeding was even more impressive Was able to quickly select for large, yet fine boned sheep, with long lustrous wool

Enclosure Movement Wealthy landowners were ready to invest in sheep raising Increased population needed more clothing Landowners bought out strips from peasants They then “enclosed” land for “improvement”

Enclosure Movement Parliament legislated the selling common land, forcing many peasants to sell their strips Disrupted farming communities Favored nobility Too early to fuel industrial revolution, but landless peasants will eventually move

Population Explosion Jethro Tull – SEED DRILL More effective farming for food, too Led to abundance of inexpensive food Fueled population EXPLOSION Reason: decrease in infant mortality (NOT because of any medical advances) Additional reason: sanitation improvements Clean water pumped into villages Sewage pumped out, and away from water supply Swamps drained (fewer insects) Canals and roads built by absolutist rulers 1.5m

Seed Drill

Seed Drill

Seed Drill

Rotherham Plough While not the first iron plough, it was the first iron plough to have any commercial success technological innovations in its design lighter than traditional ploughs; remained in use in Britain until the development of the tractor. more efficient as it was light and economical enough in draught to be drawn by a pair of horses. Agrig Rev. Start at 1:30 – 5m

Introduction of American crops Corn Potato Now the Irish get to be Irish Squash Tomato Now, the Italians can get to the creation of pizza

Enclosure Movement articles The political dominance of large landowners determined the course of enclosure….[I]t was their power in Parliament and as local Justices of the Peace that enabled them to redistribute the land in their own favor. A typical round of enclosure began when several, or even a single, prominent landholder initiated it … by petition to Parliament.… [T]he commissioners were invariably of the same class and outlook as the major landholders who had petitioned in the first place, [so] it was not surprising that the great landholders awarded themselves the best land and the most of it, thereby making England a classic land of great, well-kept estates with a small marginal peasantry and a large class of rural wage labourers. Libertarian historian Joseph R. Stromberg

Enclosure Movement articles “The proprietors of large estates generally agree upon the measure, adjust the principal points among themselves, and fix upon their attorney before they appoint any general meeting of all the proprietors. The small proprietor, whose property in the township is perhaps his all, has little or no weight in regulating the clauses of the Act of Parliament, has seldom if ever an opportunity of putting a single one in the bill favourable to his rights, and has as little influence in the choice of commissioners; and of consequence, they have seldom any great inducement to be attentive to his interest; some recent instances of which I have heard of.” Arthur Young, A Six Months Tour Through the North of England (1770)