The Second Agricultural Revolution
And the Industrial Revolution
17th century-1914
By Sarah and Kisun
Set 1
Surplus  Advances
• As we saw in Germs, Guns, and Steel, there is
an undeniable relationship between food and
technology. In short, when people find ways
to grow more food, population growth follows
and subsequently new technologies. The
Second Agricultural Revolution pertains to an
new farming technologies in the seventeenth
century that led to the Industrial Revolution.
Tools and Techniques
• Innovations in farming tools and techniques
were a huge part of the Second Agricultural
Revolution. These advances increased the
efficiency of farming and created a surplus,
allowing population growth and paving the
way for the Industrial Revolution. Among
these tools and techniques are steel plow,
reaper, tractor, selective breeding and crop
rotation. These were the first steps into
modern civilization.
Plows
• Plows have been used since the Middle Ages.
A plow consists of a cast-iron share that is
pulled by an animal (usually a horse or ox.)
Since these plows were found to be ineffective
on heavy American soil, John Deere invented a
steel plowshare to replace iron plows. This
improvement made food easier to attain.
Mechanical Reaper
• Though steel plows greatly
helped the planting of
crops, the mechanical
reaper, invented by Cyrus
McCormick in 1834, eased
the grain harvest. As
opposed to scythes, the
reaper automatically cuts
and bundles grain stalks,
making the harvest of grain
much faster than it was
before.
Tractor
• Before tractors, animals were used for
mechanical energy (for plowing or moving hay
bales.) Tractors are faster and lower in cost.
In this way, food is produced faster.
These tools increased production in
America, and allowed American crops to
diffuse to Europe to fuel European
industrialization.
Selective Breeding
• Selective breeding
involves choosing two
animals with desirable
traits and breeding them
to create superior
offspring. As this
developed during the
second Agricultural
Revolution, farmers were
able to produce stronger,
smarter, faster animals.
Crop Rotation
• Though new tools helped create a
surplus, farmers were hindered by
pests and soil depletion. As an
improvement, Crop Rotation was
developed. The process involves
growing different crops at different
times of year. Because different crops
pull different nutrients from the soil,
growing a variety of plants would
ensure that soil would remain fertile
and rich. Farmers began to add animal
fertilizer as well. As an added benefit,
pests would be cut off from their food
sources for at least part of the year
and would have to migrate or die.
Crop Rotation (Continued)
• Charles Townshend popularized the
idea of Crop Rotation in Britain (Four
Field System involving barley, wheat,
turnips, cloves). A well known
American agriculturalist, George
Washington Carver, introduced a
form of crop rotation to the United
States. Because US soil was depleted
from overplanting of cotton, which
takes nutrients from soil, he showed
American farmer how to plant soil
enriching crops, like peanuts. Crop
Rotations protects soil from pests and
depletion.
Industrialization
• These inventions, though
seemingly trivial, all created more
food for more people. This excess
freed up much of the work force.
People who once had farm jobs
moved to cities to pursue careers
in industry. (This contributed to
urbanization-the growth of cities.)
Like its predecessor, the Second
Agricultural Revolution provided
the means necessary for mankind
to take the next step.
New Technologies
• The Industrial Revolution began in the eighteenth
century and ended in 1914. During this time,
people moved away from farm communities and
into cities. They took jobs in manufacturing. In
response to the growing demand for goods, many
technologies were developed to increase
production. Henry Ford invented the assembly
line, which moves goods from worker to worker.
Water was a main power source. Because of the
demand, goods were mass produced and low in
quality.
Responding to Industrialization
• The age of industry brought corruption,
worker abuses, child labor and patronage.
Political bosses arose and average people
were powerless. The government intervened
to restore the working man and end unfair
politics. Laws were passed to regulate
businesses. Teddy Roosevelt passed the
Square Deal in 1910 to create fairness in the
economy. The Industrial Revolution ended in
1914 when WWI began.
How does this relate to today?
• The Industrial Revolution led us into an age of
manufacturing. The products produced
allowed us to move into our modern day
society, which is post-industrial and based on
ideas and services. Therefore, the 2nd
Agricultural Revolution and Industrial
Revolution were vital in shaping our world
today.
Works Cited
•
"Agricultural Innovations." ABC-CLIO. Web. 15 Oct. 2009. <http://www.worldhistory.abcclio.com/Eras/Display.aspx?storyid=1184479>.
•
Pan Germany. Web. 15 Oct. 2009. <http://www.oisat.org/control_methods/
cultural__practices/crop_rotation.html>.
•
Biology Online. Web. 15 Oct. 2009. <http://www.biology-online.org/
2/12_selective_breeding.htm>
About.com: Inventors. Web. 15 Oct. 2009. <http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/
blmccormick.htm>.
Ahmed, Iftikahr. World Cultures: A Global Mosaic. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Print.
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“Open Door. Web. 15 Oct. 2009. <http://www.saburchill.com/history/chapters/IR/images/091107004.jpg>.
Marion Online. Web. 15 Oct. 2009. http://www.mariononline.com/04/holidays/blackhistory/images/carver.jpg
Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. Joseph A. Montagna, 2006. Web. 19 Oct. 2009.
<http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/2/81.02.06.x.html>.
Project Gutenberg. Web. 19 Oct. 2009. <http://www.gutenberg.org/files/19547/19547-h/images/010.jpg>.Plows
http://www.retiredtractors.com/Plows/OrigPlow.jpg
The End