AP HUG - Ch. 12 The Second and Third Agricultural Revolutions

Second Agricultural Revolution

tools and equipment were modified, methods of soil preparation, fertilization, crop care, and harvesting improved the general organization of agriculture made more efficient

Enclosure Acts

a series of laws enacted by the British government that enabled landowners to purchase and enclose land for their own use that had previously been common land used by peasant farmers

Crop Rotation

The practice of rotating use of different fields from crop to crop each year, to avoid exhausting the soil.

Irrigation

Supplying land with water through a network of canals

Third Agricultural Revolution

Rapid diffusion of new agricultural techniques between 1970's and 1980's, especially new high-yield seeds and fertilizers. Has caused agricultural productivity at a global scale to increase faster than population growth.

Green Revolution

A shift in agricultural practices in the twentieth century that included new management techniques, mechanization, fertilization, irrigation, and improved crop varieties, and resulted in increased food output

hybridization

Breeding technique that involves crossing dissimilar individuals to bring together the best traits of both organisms

Genetically modified organism (GMO)

A living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology.