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Potato is Advocated by Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge
The Potato was brought from the Americas to Europe to Sir Francis Drake, where it became a dominant crop. It became dominant because it was high in vitamins and minerals and was very easy to grow. For example Adam Smith wrote about the potato being great in The Wealth of Nations. Other members of the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge wrote about the potato and its benefits. Through the 17th and 18th century potatoes became more and more prominent in the fields of Europe. -
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Charles "Turnip" Townsend
Charles Townsend is known for bringing the turnip from the Netherlands to England. The turnip was part of the four field crop rotation, and was very important for the Agricultural Revolution. -
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Norfolk Four Course Crop Rotation
Charles Townsend brought the idea of the four course field crop rotation to England from northern mainland Europe. The course included planting legumes, clover, turnips, and a cereal. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Norfolk-four-course-system -
Development of a national market
The Agricultural Revolution created a surplus of wheat and other crops to be produced in England. This led to the emergence of a national market in 1700. -
Invention of the Seed Drill
The seed drill was invented by Jethro Tull in 1701. The drill was revolutionary because it reduced the amount of time and manpower spent on planting in the spring. https://wiki.ubc.ca/Course:History_344_Nasty_Families/Inventions/Seed_Drill#:~:text=The%20Seed%20Drill%20was%20a,in%20the%20later%20Stuart%20Age. -
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Arthur Young
Arthur Young was an agricultural writer and was widely respected for his knowledge. In his writings he advocated for the Seed Drill invented by Jethro Tull and advocated for the enclosure of public lands. Because of his influential position his beliefs helped accelerate the agricultural revolution. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arthur-Young -
Robert Bakewell, Thomas Coke, and the development of Selective Breeding
The development of Selective Breeding enabled farmers to breed out undesirable traits. This meant that dairy cows produced more and more milk and beef cows produced more and more beef. These creations were made in 1750 and farmers continue to use selective breeding to this day. -
Invention of the Rotherham Swing Plough
The Rotherham swing plough was created by Dutch and was made to be lighter and more efficient. Having a more efficient plow meant there was less work required to plow fields. https://www.ploughmen.co.uk/about-us/history-of-the-plough -
Land Conversion, Drainage, and Reclamation Programs
In 1764 Joseph Elkington created the idea of using deep trenches to drain land after large rains. He was inspired by the works of Dutch engineers that drained land to be able to use it for farmlands. The English were aided in the draining of lands by Dutch Engineers. -
Enclosure Act of 1801
The Enclosure Act of 1801 enabled land owners to enclose their land. This benefited the rich and hurt the poor because it reduced the amount of common land, reducing the land that cattle could graze on. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldhistory2/chapter/the-enclosure-act/