The agricultural revolution
The agricultural revolution refers to the important changes that took place in agriculture changes in the 18th century England
CHANGES
1. Enclosure movements :
Reasons:
Growing population (need more food)
Numbers of war fought with france
Farmers wanting to have one or two large blocks of land instead of few scattered strip
Methods:
Landlord tried to set up large estates where they could use new farming methods and machines
Forced the tenant farmers to give up their land, exchange land with other landlords, or enclosed common land by building fences around it (enclosure movement)
Enclosure movement (see worksheet)
Results:
Each farmer would have a compact farm which he enclosed by building fences or hedges
They lost the right to graze their animals in the common lands and to collect firewood from the forests
Many were forced to sell their land and worked as farm labourers
Others left the villages and worked in the factories in the new industrial towns.
Farms became bigger
Farmers could use machines and experiment with new farming methods
2. Crop rotation
In the three-course rotation, one-third of the land was left fallow each year, so the soil could regain its lost fertility, but this was a very wasteful system.
In the new system which was introduced by lord Townshend. This system raised production because no field was left fallow.
Winter crops like turnip and clover were provided for animals, so farmers don’t have to slaughter their animals when winter came. Land became more fertile because clover could make the soil rich.
Field 1
Field 2
Field 3
Field 4
Year 1 wheat clover barley Turnips
Year 2 clover barley
Turnips
Wheat
Year 3
Barley
turnips
Wheat
Clover
Year 4 turnips wheat
Clover
barley
3. new farming machine
Jethro Tull invented the seedrill for sowing seeds and horse-hoe for weeding in the early 18th century. And new threshing nad winnowing machines later. They made farming more efficient and
CHANGES
1. Enclosure movements :
Reasons:
Growing population (need more food)
Numbers of war fought with france
Farmers wanting to have one or two large blocks of land instead of few scattered strip
Methods:
Landlord tried to set up large estates where they could use new farming methods and machines
Forced the tenant farmers to give up their land, exchange land with other landlords, or enclosed common land by building fences around it (enclosure movement)
Enclosure movement (see worksheet)
Results:
Each farmer would have a compact farm which he enclosed by building fences or hedges
They lost the right to graze their animals in the common lands and to collect firewood from the forests
Many were forced to sell their land and worked as farm labourers
Others left the villages and worked in the factories in the new industrial towns.
Farms became bigger
Farmers could use machines and experiment with new farming methods
2. Crop rotation
In the three-course rotation, one-third of the land was left fallow each year, so the soil could regain its lost fertility, but this was a very wasteful system.
In the new system which was introduced by lord Townshend. This system raised production because no field was left fallow.
Winter crops like turnip and clover were provided for animals, so farmers don’t have to slaughter their animals when winter came. Land became more fertile because clover could make the soil rich.
Field 1
Field 2
Field 3
Field 4
Year 1 wheat clover barley Turnips
Year 2 clover barley
Turnips
Wheat
Year 3
Barley
turnips
Wheat
Clover
Year 4 turnips wheat
Clover
barley
3. new farming machine
Jethro Tull invented the seedrill for sowing seeds and horse-hoe for weeding in the early 18th century. And new threshing nad winnowing machines later. They made farming more efficient and