Lesson 1 Flashcards
The structural characteristics of pre-industrial economy
What marked the shift from hunter-gatherer societies to settled societies?
The discovery of agriculture and the development of surplus food production, which laid the foundation for settled communities and later industrial economies.
What was the Agricultural Revolution, and when did it take place?
It occurred around 10,000 BCE and involved the invention of agriculture, leading to food surplus, population growth, and the development of technology and specialisation.
What are some pros and cons of the shift to agriculture?
It meant more food available, increase in population, and higher socio-economic complexity. But it increased pressure on natural resources, reduced dietary variety, and more diseases due to village proximity.
What was the Urban Revolution, and how did it impact society?
It occurred during the Bronze Age, leading to population growth, specialisation of labor, and the formation of complex societies and city-states. It was primarily a Eurasian phenomenon.
What factors contributed to Eurasia’s “proto-divergence” during the Urban Revolution?
Stronger political, economic, and social institutions, recognition of private property, favourable inheritance systems, and environmental conditions.
What were the structural features of agrarian societies before the Industrial Revolution?
Low urbanization (6-8% in Western Europe), limited division of labor, high self-consumption (90%), and low productivity with limited surplus.
How did cities function in pre-modern agrarian societies?
Cities specialized in manufacturing goods, trading, and providing civil and ecclesiastical services. Some cities, like Venice, became centers of commercial and financial capitalism and knowledge dissemination.
What is Malthusian theory, and how did it explain population growth and resources?
Suggests that population grows geometrically (2, 4, 8, etc.), while food supply increases arithmetically (2, 4, 6, etc.), leading to food shortages and limits on population growth.
What are the two types of checks in Malthusian theory?
Positive checks: Events like famines and plagues that increase mortality.
Preventive checks: Social behaviors like delayed marriage that reduce fertility.
What event is considered an accelerator of history in pre-industrial Europe?
The Black Death, which reduced population pressure on resources, improved living standards for survivors, but also caused a dramatic demographic decline and slowdown in production.
