britain economy key bits

what did the emergence of new crops to britain result in?

it led to a revolution in eating habits and improvements in soil fertility.

what was the market garden?

specialist producers of fruits and vegetables to feed large groups of people. they would feed Britain’s cities and they would have a much higher standard in efficiency and produce.

how much had productivity grown in Britain?

the number of days worked rose significantly from 266 in 1450 to 405 in 1700. 

what was enclosure of land?

consolidating scattered holdings into blocks of land, usually by fencing them off. the enclosed land would then be reserved for the sole use of a single landowner or tenant. 

what was the benefit of enclosure?

crop production wasn’t unnecessarily duplicated as fewer rivals would exist in each region, and it could be combined with the upkeep of separate pastures for animals. 

were enclosure agreements generally formal or informal?

most enclosure agreements were informal affairs with a loose agreement made between landowners, tenants and families.

who protested against enclosure?

small landowners and peasants who suffered if common land was no longer accessible. however it was difficult to deny that enclosure led to improved agricultural efficiency.

where was there a good example of enclosure’s impact?

Sherrington in Buckinghamshire involved modest freeholders who had gradually been gaining land since the 16th century were driven out because of indebtedness after 1660 as a result of enclosure. they couldn’t compete with larger enclosed farms that had been created nearby. 

how did increased levels of literacy impact farming techniques?

a lot of yeomen and husbandmen were able to make use of books, such as those written by Walter Blithe, containing information about new agricultural techniques. 

what was the new awareness around the development of agricultural techniques?

as much land as possible should be utilised, reducing the number of fields left to fallow or left to regain nutrients for a year and that crops should be selected based on their suitability for different soil types

was was traditional crop rotation?

traditionally, one field in three would be left for pasture in any given year, in order for nutrients to be restored to the soil. this led to a lower yield than desired.

what did enclosure do for the field rotation?

with enclosure, there were more fields available for rotation which then led to better yields.

in 1420 how many acres were given over to arable farming and how many were left to fallow, compared to 1700?

in 1420, over 7 million acres were given over to arable farming, with 3 million left to fallow. in 1700, 9 million acres were given to arable farming with just 1.8 million left to fallow. 

what new crops and experiments took place as a result of more efficient crop rotation?

potatoes were planted in some areas. a new type of frost-resistant turnip had been imported from the Low Countries and was more economical than the potatoes.

what impact did Dutch immigrants have on the crop industry?

they carried out much of the work needed to improve irrigation and cultivate new crops

what other Dutch innovations were introduced into Britain?

nitrogen-rich crops like clover and cabbage, which helped fertilised the soil for the following year.

what were water meadows?

water meadows worked by diverting water from a nearby river or stream into a field. the diversion would be regulated by a network of gates and dams.

what was the aim of a water meadow?

the aim was to provide soil that was always damp, reducing the chances of frost in early spring and encouraging grass to grow earlier. sheep or cattle would feed on this grass in the spring and by early summer would be moved on to ordinary pasture, leaving the grass to grow and hay to be harvested.

what did water meadows enable farmers to do?

maintain more working and non-working animals.

what was the increase of the number of working animals in a hundred years?

around 630,000 horses were used on farms in 1700, compared with 300,000 a hundred years before

how many working oxen were there in 1700?

130,000 as they were being gradually replaced by horses, which were quicker and often lived longer

what was the south east better suited to in terms of farming?

arable farming as it was warmer and drier

what was the north and west better suited to in terms of farming?

better suited to rearing of livestock, as the terrain was more rugged and hilly, with more rainfall

why did the yeomanry particularly benefit from specialised farming?

they owned a large amount of land and so were generally sheltered from the possibility of poor harvests. they were therefore able to experiment with new techniques and crops, although they couldn’t always afford large-scale changes.

how did husbandmen have somewhat of an advantage with their small-scale farms?

if they were shrewd enough to farm produce that was in demand and suited to local conditions, they could dedicate their entire farm to one product. 

how were husbandmen at a disadvantage?

they were less able to exploit opportunities as they would often produce too little to make a substantial profit. husbandmen were often slow to take up specialisation and new techniques as they had to be very sire that they would benefit from changing the way they organised their farms. 

who suffered and what became an unsustainable employment for many as a result of enclosure?

small tenants suffered as a result of enclosure and smallholding became an unsustainable employment for many

how many people were involved in skilled crafts by the end of the period, arguably because agricultural jobs were less stable?

240,000 people were involved in skilled crafts by the end of the period.

what impact did the settlement act have on employment on the farms of larger landowners?

it was easier for landowners to hire labourers from other parishes and let them go when the harvest ended, as the labourers were ‘settled’ in other areas and employers didn’t have to worry about contributing to Poor Rates.

what was job security like for those who had not served a seven-year apprenticeship?

job security was poor for those who hadn’t served a seven-year apprenticeship

what was the estimated number of families of labourers in 1688?

364,000 estimated families of labourers, which means over 1 million people would have been employed that way

what was needed in order for farmers to take risks and experiment with new techniques?

investment, to ensure productivity increased

who had to invest in large-scale modernisation?

as the yeomen and husbandmen couldn’t really afford investment, it was left up to the higher Gentry and the aristocracy to invest

what were the gentry and aristocracy able to do in investing in large-scale modernisation?

they were able to buy land from neighbouring farms, close it and invest in new crops.

in the South Midlands in 1700, what percentage of agricultural land was part of large estates of over 100 acres?

53.6% compared with 32.2% 100 years earlier

how big were some farms in East Anglia as a result of this investment?

over 500 acres in size

which counties specialised in wheat or mixed wheat and livestock production?

lowland plains in the Midlands as well as East Anglia and the South East

what happened to these counties (Midlands, East Anglia and South East)?

they were dominated by landowners able to invest heavily

where were small farms predominant?

pastoral North and the moorland of the South West

where was the demand for food most evident in?

London

how much did the shipments of grain brought to the city via the Thames increase?

500,000 quarters in 1605 to 1,150,000 in 1651