1. The Agricultural Revolution in Europe

2. Before the Agricultural Rev
open-field system: greatest accomplishment of Medieval agriculture
village agriculture; 1/3 to ½ of fields lay fallow.
Common land: used by village for livestock – fields shared by peasants.
serfs in eastern Europe were worst off; many sold with lands (like slavery)

3. The Agricultural Revolution
Agricultural Revolution: major milestone in human civilization
impact of the scientific revolution’s experimental method was great
Application of scientific ideas - crop rotation most important feature.

4. Enclosure Movement end to common lands and open-field system
agriculturalists (land owners) consolidated lands and closed them off
game laws in England prohibited peasants from hunting game
caused considerable friction in the countryside in 17th and 18th centuries

5. Impact of Enclosure
traditional view of enclosure (Marx): poor people driven off the land
recent scholarship: negative impact of enclosure may have been exaggerated
As much as 50% of lands enclosed already by 1750 (much by mutual consent)
1700: ratio of landless farmer to landowner = 2:1; not much greater in 1800

6. Low Countries
Netherlands and Belgium (Austrian Netherlands) took the lead in agricultural innovations
Increased population meant more food had to be produced
Cornelius Vermuyden: important in drainage of swamp lands into useful farm land.
Huge impact on southern England.

7. England
Viscount Charles Townsend ( ): improved soil by crop rotation (turnips)
Bog and marshes drained extensively, manured heavily, regular crop rotation w/o fallowing
Jethro Tull ( ): seed drill; more efficient than scattering seeds by hand
Robert Bakewell ( ) selective breeding of ordinary livestock (animal husbandry): created larger animals.