Study Notes on Agricultural Revolutions

MODULE 36: The Second Agricultural Revolution

Learning Goals

  • 36-1: Explain how technologies and innovations increased agricultural productivity during the Second Agricultural Revolution.

  • 36-2: Describe how increases in agricultural productivity affected societies and the environment during the Second Agricultural Revolution.

Introduction

  • The Second Agricultural Revolution saw improvements in methods for cultivation, harvesting, and storage which began in the late 1600s and continued through the 1930s.

  • Farmers in the United States and Western Europe began producing sufficient food not only for families but also created surpluses for sales at city markets.

  • The revolution likely occurred independently in different regions, as technology advanced and diffused throughout the industrializing world.

  • This module covers the fundamental changes introduced by the Second Agricultural Revolution.

Terms to Know

  • Second Agricultural Revolution: Period marked by significantly improved cultivation, harvesting, and storage methods from the late 1600s to 1930s.

  • Seed Drill: A machine used for planting seeds in organized rows.

36-1: Technology and Agricultural Productivity

Overview

  • Significant changes in agriculture paralleled the diffusion of new crops due to the Columbian Exchange (17th century).

  • New foods adapted well to different soils and climates, which necessitated more land for cultivation.

  • There was a growing demand for food, prompting mechanization and the development of new fertilizers and pesticides.

Mechanization of Agriculture

  • Prior to the Second Agricultural Revolution, agricultural labor heavily relied on manual tools and animal assistance.

  • Four revolutionary innovations included:

    • Seed Drill

    • Steel Plow

    • Mechanical Reaper

    • Tractor

  • Railroads and shipping canals became vital for distributing agricultural products.

Seed Drill and Steel Plow

  • The Seed Drill, invented by Jethro Tull in 1701 in England, allowed seeds to be sown more efficiently than scattering them by hand.

  • The seed drill was horse- or oxen-pulled, creating organized rows that reduced waste of seed:

    • Eliminated inefficiencies of scattering seeds:

    • Scattering resulted in uneven planting and wasted seeds.

    • The new method led to clearly distinguishable rows for easier weeding.

Advances in Plows

  • First iron plow patented in England (1720) but struggled in rocky soils.

  • Cast Iron Plow patented in 1797; improved technology but deemed commercially unsuccessful.

  • John Deere introduced the use of steel in plow design (1833), providing a lighter, stronger alternative, leading to commercial success.

  • Increased use of horses for pulling plows, enhancing efficiencies.

Mechanical Reaper

  • The Mechanical Reaper, patented by Cyrus McCormick in 1831, mechanized the grain harvesting process:

    • Increased farmer’s grain yields by at least tenfold.

    • Revolutionized grain gathering from cutting to bundling.

Tractor Development

  • Early tractors (mid-19th century) were steam-powered and cumbersome.

  • The internal combustion engine (late 19th century) made tractors lighter and more efficient, significantly increasing productivity (e.g., 118 tractors sold in 1914 vs. 220,000 in the U.S. by 2017).

Railroads and Shipping Canals

  • Railroads provided efficient transport of agricultural goods to markets.

  • Enabled quick transportation reducing costs, including transportation of livestock (e.g., cattle) for sale and slaughter.

  • Examples such as the Erie Canal (opened in 1825) vastly improved transport costs and times for agricultural products,

    • Major contributor to the U.S. becoming a key exporter of surplus crops.

Agrichemicals

  • Development of agrichemicals (chemical compounds for agriculture) significantly changed farming practices:

    • Synthetic Fertilizers offered higher nutrient concentrations leading to increased crop yields.

    • Pesticides and herbicides introduced to manage pests and competing weeds, evolved significantly from using organic materials to synthetic chemicals by the 20th century.

  • The pervasive use of synthetic fertilizers raised productivity but also had significant social implications, contributing to urban migration as fewer farm laborers were needed.

36-2: Societal and Environmental Effects of Increased Productivity

Societal Impacts

  • Surplus agricultural production enabled trade and economics shifted towards cash crop production, deeply impacting rural social structures and women's roles:

    • Better diets improved population health, increasing life expectancies and lowering mortality rates.

    • Migration to urban areas increased as rural populations surged looking for industrial work.

Economic Shifts

  • Transition from subsistence farming (where all produced crops were primarily for family use) to cash crops (sold for profit).

  • Women’s roles adapted as household production decline led to increased urban migration for factory jobs:

    • Traditional agricultural practices eroded, changing family dynamics and economic dependencies.

Environmental Impacts

  • Adoption of chemicals in agricultural practices led to both positive outcomes (increased productivity) and negative consequences (pollution, reduced soil health).

  • Overuse of fertilizers created nutrient pollution, affecting ecosystems:

    • Excess nutrients from fertilizers could run off into water supplies, causing contamination.

Summary of Key Points:

  • Technological innovations (seed drill, mechanical reaper, tractors) significantly raised agricultural productivity.

  • Increased agricultural output potentially improved diets and health but also shifted economies and social structures.

  • The adaptation of cash crop focus negatively affected traditional family farm structures and community ties.