3.1: The Agricultural Revolution in Europe
Several factors prompted the Industrial Revolution in England and Europe. As we discussed in Unit 1, in England, the ready availability of waterpower, sources of iron ore, an abundant coal supply, and raw materials from colonies such as India created a foundation for an industrial revolution.
An agricultural revolution of sorts had preceded these changes: new farming tools and mechanization methods made it easier for farmers to produce more food with less labor.
For example, in 1701, Jethro Tull invented the seed drill to plant seeds efficiently in neat rows and later developed a horse-drawn hoe. In 1730, Joseph Foljambe produced the first commercially-successful iron plow to replace its wooden predecessor. In 1786, Andrew Meikle developed a threshing machine to remove the outer husks from wheat grains. In the mid-1800s, John Fowler produced a steam-driven engine that could plow farmland and dig drainage ditches more quickly and economically than the horse-drawn plow.
Watch this video about the role of agriculture in establishing the first cities and states. "Fueled by surplus crops, agriculture led to the formation of the world's first large-scale civilizations".
Read this article about the important agricultural inventions of the 18th century. Just as agriculture drove the formation of cities and states, these inventions drove agriculture.