Agrarian & Industrial Revolution

Agrarian Revolution

A period in history where agriculture had a significant impact on society, leading to changes in farming methods, technology, and the economy.

Enclosure System

The process of taking over and fencing off land that was previously shared by peasant farmers, resulting in increased profits and larger, more efficient fields.

Turnips

Used for animal feed during the winter and returned nutrients to the soil, part of Charles Townshend's crop rotation system.

Legumes

A class of plants that have bacteria attached to their roots, converting atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates in the soil for future plant growth.

Bakewell

A farmer who used inbreeding to fix and exaggerate desirable traits in livestock.

Seed Drill

Invented by Jethro Tull in 1701, a horse-drawn machine that planted seeds in uniformed rows, improving efficiency in farming.

Reaper

Invented by Cyrus McCormick in the mid-1800s, a machine that cut the stalks of wheat and separated the seeds from the heads, revolutionizing harvesting.

Industrial Revolution

A period of transition from an agricultural and rural economy to a capitalist and urban economy, marked by technological advancements and industrialization.

Population Theory

Thomas Malthus' theory that human population grows faster than the power to produce food, leading to checks on population growth through war, famine, and disease.

Factory System

A shift from home-based manufacturing to centralized factories, characterized by mass production and the use of interchangeable parts.

Consequences of Industrialization

Men, women, and children worked in factories, with long hours and poor living conditions in slums without proper sanitation.

Robert Owen

A socialist and utopian thinker who aimed to establish ideal communities where residents shared in economic success and believed in the importance of education.

Friedrich Engels

Co-author of The Communist Manifesto and known for his work on the condition of the working class in England, highlighting poor living conditions and sanitation.

Karl Marx

Co-author of The Communist Manifesto, asserting that human history is based on class struggles and predicting a revolution where the working class would take over the means of production.

Proletariat

The working class who relied on selling their labor and did not profit from capital.

Bourgeoisie

Business owners who owned capital and profited from it.

Reforms include

Legislative acts such as the Mines and Collieries Act and Factory Act that aimed to improve working conditions and restrict child labor in mines and factories.