-
Agricultural Revolution (1650-1850)
The Agricultural Revolution began in Great Britain and brought forth the Industrial Revolution. New practices, such as crop rotation, effective use of land, and new land stock practices, lead to better crop yield and an ability to support larger amounts of livestock. With the Agricultural Revolution came a population increase, yet due to the Enclosure Acts, many smaller farmers were kept out of lands while wealthy owners got the land; many people began to move to urban regions for better wages. -
Height of the Atlantic Slave Trade (1700-1790)
The Slave Trade was a relationship between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The Atlantic Slave trade shipped thousands of slaves through the Middle Passage to the Americas for labor. The Americas produced products, using slave labor, which then was introduced to European markets, then the European markets would often bring goods to Africa that they could use to either force Africans into slavery or they would trade for them. This trade stimulated the European economy. -
Expansion of Rural Industry in Europe: Cottage Industry (1700 - 1790)
Rural Industry occurred when families manufactured goods in their own homes: sewing, making tools, fixing houses, etc. A population increase in rural areas leads to more industrial production in rural areas through the cottage industry. The rural industry, which was hard to control, was the first time where people put their own goods into the market. Often merchants loaned raw materials to cottage workers who'd process them and return the finished product. -
British and French Mercantilist Wars (1701-1763)
Both France and England were rivals in dominating a lot of the world; both countries wanted to be the greatest power. In the Spanish War of Succession, France ended up having to give a lot of their northern American colonies to England; the Seven Years War was the great turning point of this Mercantilist war as France lost its control in North America in the 1673 Treaty of Paris. The British and French Mercantilist Wars lead to Great Britain being the supreme naval force: huge trading empire. -
Last Outbreak of Bubonic Plague (1720-22)
The Bubonic Plague heavily affected society in Europe; with the Bubonic Plague came the death of thousands of people, often peasants who worked on the land for Lords. With Lords struggling to find people working on the land, peasants could demand higher wages and better working conditions. The socio-economic system of feudalism collapsed due to the Bubonic Plague; the aristocracy lost a lot of their power and status because of labor shortages. -
Population Explosion (1750)
The population began to grow exponentially in Europe; the vast economic changes and more food sources, due to the Agricultural Revolution, it became easier for people to support families. The population rapidly grew due to agricultural reforms (crop rotation, livestock), less disease, and less war. The Industrial Revolution supported this population boom, as industry needed a lot of workers, and a lot of people needed jobs. -
Illegitimacy Explosion (1750-1850)
A definitive change in Europe was the increased amount of late marriages & birth out of wedlock. Foundling homes lead people to believe they could abandon their child or have sex out of wedlock leading to illegitimate births; the ability for people to choose their partner lead to unsupervised relations & illegitimate kids. People got married later in life due to economic instability & men moving to the new world; moreover,men promised women marriage for sex, but rarely followed through on this. -
Height of the Parliamentary Enclosure in England (1760-1815)
The Enclosure Acts were Parliamentary actions that authorized the enclosure of open fields making previously public properties, private. Parliament was primarily composed of wealthy landowners who, often, received these enclosed lands. Many people lost access to these fields which didn't allow them to work. Many of the previous tenant farmers moved to urban regions with the hope of finding work, as the enclosed lands didn't need many workers. The large increase in unemployment helped industry. -
American Revolution (1765-1783)
The Revolution, partly inspired by Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations. was the revolt of Great Britain's 13 colonies; the colonies, with French, Spanish, and Dutch allies fought the British. America's ability to win in '83 shocked Britain but also proved to Europeans that liberal political ideas -- rights of man, equality, liberty, popular sovereignty, separation of powers, religious freedom -- were basic rights, not just the rights to intellectuals. -
French Revolution (1789-1799)
The French Revolution, inspired by the American Revolution, was when the people overthrew the French monarchy. The Revolution inspired the modern nation-state and overthrew traditional hierarchical traditions. Instead of absolutist rule, there would be democratic principles as well as citizenship. The Revolution ended feudalism throughout parts of Europe and aided in the spreading of Enlightenment ideas. -
Smallpox Vaccine (1796)
The smallpox vaccine was a medical breakthrough as it was the first successful vaccine. While people throughout Europe had a "demonic" view of disease, medicine began shifting towards science. Edward Jenner, the creator of the vaccine, paved the way to higher average lifespans and a larger understanding of medicine and disease treatment. While limited knowledge of how diseases spread and how they could be cured, Jenner was able to transform medicine.
