T4: What impact did agriculture have on the economy? Flashcards
why were new and more efficient agricultural techniques required in this period?
to supply for the increasing population and avoid famine
how did the agricultural production in Britain compare to the rest of Europe in the 1640s?
By 1640s, agricultural production in Britain exceeded all other European countries, apart from Holland
statistic for the agricultural production in Britain?
By 1640s, agricultural production in Britain exceeded all other European countries, apart from Holland
stat for average number of days worked? what does this show?
In 1700, the average number of days worked per agricultural family was 405, compared with 266 in 1450- reflects both demand for increased production and drive for efficiency
what was enclosure?
The fencing off of common land, including smallholdings, into larger blocks of land under a single landowner
when did enclosure begin?
began in the medieval period, but intensified in the 17th century
why did enclosure intensify in this period?
meant crop production wasn’t duplicated as fewer rivals would exist in each region- would allow farms to specialise. Also could be combined with separate pastures for animals.
what was the impact of enlosure?
- increased efficiency
- protests from small landowners
what is an example of people being pushed off land?
Sherrington, Buckinghamshire- modest freeholders who had been gaining land since C16th driven out after 1660
what fuelled protests over enclosure?
the fact that some areas that had not adopted widespread enclosure were still agriculturally successful e.g. Oxfordshire
how significant was enlosure?
- huge change in how agricultural and rural labour organised
- partially widespread
- not radical
- long-lasting
what areas of Britain was enclosure adopted?
yes: SE, Midlands
no: North, West, Scotland
what was Charles I’s policy towards enclosure?
active anti-enclosure policy
how were water meadows created?
diverted water from nearby river or stream to a field, regulated by network of dams
were water meadows new?
no - had been in use for at least 100 years before 1625, but use increased dramatically in 17th century
why were water meadows used? what was their use?
meant soil always damp- reduced chance of frost in early spring and encouraged grass to grow earlier.
sheep and cattle can feed in early spring and then be moved so grass can be harvested for hay for summer
what was the impact of water meadows?
- farmers could keep more working and non-working animals
- number of working horses doubled: 300,000 in 1600 to 630,000 in 1700
- more non-working animals- due to enclosure increased number of individual breeds of sheep/ cattle could be kept in single enclosures- meant for example that could intensively breed breed of sheep that produced most wool for cloth industry
how significant were water meadows?
- large change
- not radical
- relatively widespread
- long-lasting - still in use today
when did the development of new farming techniques begin?
under Tudors but spread widely under the Stuarts
why did the use of new farming techniques increase after 1600?
increased levels of literacy after 1660
who were able to make use of books about farming techniques?
yeomen and husbandmen
give an example of a farming techniques author?
Walter Blith
what did books about farming techniques increase awareness about?
- optimising land use
- soil types
what other technique allowed farming techniques to be put into use?
enclosure
what is crop rotation?
rotation of crops between different fields based on suitability of soil and to allow nutrients in soil to recover
how did enclosure help crop rotation?
previously, only 2/3 of fields were in use. after enclosure, more fields generally for rotation
what was the impact of crop rotation?
- less land left fallow:
1420: just over 7 mill acres used for arable farming, 3 mill fallow
1700: 9 mill acres used, 1.8 mill fallow - more efficient (more land= more yield = more profit)
- new crops could be introduced and experimented with
were new crops new?
yes- brought over by Dutch immigrants
give some examples of new crops
frost-resistant turnip, clover, potatoes, asparagus, artichokes
who was responsible for promoting Dutch innovations in Britain?
writer Samuel Hartlib
what did Samuel Hartlib promote?
Dutch innovations e.g. nitrogen rich cabbage and clover
what did nitrogen rich crops do?
help fertilise soil for following year
what was the main impact of new crops?
more economical e.g. frist resistant turnip- made farming more efficient and profitable
how significant were new farming techniques (crop rotation and new crops)?
- large change
- partially radical
- relatively widespread
- long-lasting - still in use today
what part of the country was more suited to arable farming?
South Eastw
what part of the country was more suited to pastoral farming?
North and West
why could farmers specialise in types of farming more suited to local conditions at this point?
improved transport infrastructure and development of national markets
who benefited the most from specialised farming?
large landowners such as aristocracy and gentry, also yeomen
why did large landowners benefit most from specialised farming?
more shielded from bad harvests- able to take risks and experiment with new techniques and crops
who benefited less from specialisation?
husbandmen
how much land did husbandmen farm?
less than 40 acres
why did husbandmen not benefit so much from specialisation?
risky to experiment with new crops and techniques. could make a profit if dedicated to just one crop, but this was risky so they were slow to change.
who suffered because of enclosure?
small tenants - smallholding became an unsustainable employment
how did agricultural employment change as a result of enclosure?
number of wage-dependent labourers on large farms grew, and small farmers decreased
stat for number of people employed as labourers?
estimated 364,000 families employed as labourers by 1688 (over 1 million people)
what were the wages like for labourers on big farms?
secure, but real value decreased because of inflation throughout the 17th century
how did labourers supplement their wages in order to feed their families?
many also worked in small scale cloth industry
stat for those involved in skilled crafts?
240,000 people involved in skilled crafts by 1700
apart from large farms, where else could secure work be found?
in growing towns, especially ports, although often needed a 7yr apprenticeship
why did many smallholders become tenant farmers on larger farms?
more profitable
where did large farms dominate?
Midlands, East Anglia, South-East
where did small farms dominate?
North and South-West
who was most able to invest in large-scale modernisation of farms?
higher gentry and aristocracy
what were the higher gentry and aristocracy able to do that most yeomen and husbandman weren’t?
invest in large scale modernisation of farms
stat for size of large farms?
in East Anglia, some farms were over 500 acres in size
were there more small or large farms?
small family farms still outnumbered large ‘capital farms’
how did large landowners profit from have tenant famers?
charged high rent and tenants expected to maintain buildings at own expense.
therefore needed to specialise to make enough money to pay rent.
landlords would offer loans to help specialise- landlords expected to profit from their increased production due to specialisation
