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Dutch and Rotherham swing (wheel-less) plough
The plough has been an agricultural tool for thousands of years. In the mid-1600's however, the Dutch made major changes to its design. This new plough would be called the Rotherham Swing Plough, and it was a major invention during the agricultural revolution. The new design was made out of iron and didn't include a depth wheel. This resulted in the new plough being much lighter and more efficient than its predecessors. -
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge advocates the potato
The Royal Society of London is a group of individuals is a group of very intelligent and influential individuals. The Society was founded in 1660 with 12 natural philosophers who make important decisions in the scientific community. The Society was intrigued by the potato because it was able to survive famine, where wheat would die. This made the Society advocate for the potato and it is still a staple in the British diet to this day. -
Norfolk Four Course Crop Rotation
The Norfolk course crop rotation was first established in Norfolk County, England, and it later spread to different areas in Europe. It was characterized by having a different crop every four years. This ensured that the soil remained healthy, but all needs were still met. This method was only used in areas that practiced the enclosure movement. -
Development of a National Market
Throughout the 18th century, Britain's economy was progressing at a staggering rate. This comes down to their leading role in Europe in the agricultural revolution, and their designation of London as an economic center. Also, the pro-capitalist ways of the government, led by Adam Smith, helped increase the wealth throughout the nation. This economic prosperity continued with the industrial revolution. -
Jethro Tull and the Seed Drill
Jethro Tull's seed drill was a major invention during the agricultural revolution. His seed drill was horse-drawn and mechanical, which was quite new technology for the time. The seed drill evenly spread seeds around a field in much less time and with less error than it would take a person to do the same task. It was popularized with the enclosure movement. -
Charles “Turnip” Townsend
Charles "Turnip" Townsend was a political officer and an important figure in the agricultural revolution. As the Viscount of Norfolk, Townsend promoted the Norfolk four-course system. He gained his nickname because of his love for turnips. He popularized the use of the turnip in the Norfolk four-course system, and those turnips were used for livestock food. -
Arthur Young
Arthur Young was a British agriculturalist, born on September 11, 1741. He is most known for his writings on agriculture. Although he himself was not a successful farmer, he was very knowledgeable on the industry, and wrote several notable papers on the industry. He was also on the board of agriculture in England. -
Robert Bakewell, Thomas Coke, and the development of Selective Breeding
In the mid-18th century, Robert Bakewell and Thomas Coke introduced selective breeding to English agriculture. Bakewell and Coke's method was popularized because it allowed farmers to breed animals with desirable traits. The technique allowed farmers to increase their livestock yield, which further advanced the English agricultural revolution. The method was most successful with sheep. -
Land Conversion, Drainage, and Reclamation Programs
In the 18th century, the British needed more arable land to handle the agricultural revolution. The government turned to converting pasture land and fens into farmland. This was done with the enclosure acts. The effect of this was that the amount of arable land in Britain increased by 10-30% -
Enclosure Act
The enclosure act of 1773 was the most influential of the thousands of enclosure acts in England. It allowed the enclosure of private land, which forced commoners off of the land they had been farming for years. One effect of the act was a large migration of poor farmers to cities to find work. Another effect is that the private farmers were able to profit off of their land more because of the positive effects that the agricultural revolution had on farming. -
Sources
List didn't fit, here is google doc:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Cdvs3-euMtik6rDIFAViKFzw8-wbeNTS7hl7vM_YF4/edit
