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The Agricultural Revolution in Europe

The Agricultural Revolution in Europe. 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.

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The Agricultural Revolution in Europe

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  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 (1674-1738): improved soil by crop rotation (turnips) • Bog and marshes drained extensively, manured heavily, regular crop rotation w/o fallowing • Jethro Tull (1674-1741): seed drill; more efficient than scattering seeds by hand • Robert Bakewell (1720-1795) selective breeding of ordinary livestock (animal husbandry): created larger animals.

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