Notes #1: The Agricultural Revolution. Peasants in the Middle Ages used communal farming. – Farmers used this system for hundreds of years. – It involved.

Notes #1: The Agricultural Revolution

Peasants in the Middle Ages used communal farming .

– Farmers used this system for hundreds of years.

– It involved subsistence farming; meaning farmers grew enough to feed themselves.

– They used a three field-system (2 planted; 1 left fallow or empty)

Three-Field System

Oats BarleyFallow

There were advantages and disadvantages to this system.

Advantages: •People worked together•No one was given an unfair advantage •Created a sense of community

Disadvantages:•Did not encourage experimental farming •Inefficient crop production

Innovative Dutch & English farmers help create the Agricultural Revolution.

• The introduction of fertilizer to renew soil• Use of soil mixing resulted in higher crop yields• Crop rotation to produce larger crops & restore

overused soil

• Jethro Tull develops the seed drill

• Farmers develop journals to educate others

Seed Drill

Almanac

Crop Rotation

Field 1Barley

Field 2Oats

Field 3Clover

Field 4Turnips

Manor House

The Enclosure Movement involved the taking over of small tracts of land to create larger fields.

Results of the enclosure movement:

–Increased production & profits–Fewer workers needed – farmers lose

jobs & land–Large land owners controlled more land

& became richer. –Farmers begin to migrate to the cities

Improved farm production lead to a population explosion.

Immediate reasons: – better food production, – reduced famine & – people eating better and healthier

Long term reasons: – better hygiene and sanitation – improved medical care, – lower death rate

The development of New Technology spurred on the Industrial Revolution.

New sources of energy: – Coal– Watermills – Windmills

James Watt & the development of the steam engine

Improved iron was used in machines, steam engines & railroads

Iron and Coal

Steam Engine

Transportation