The British Agricultural Revolution

Throughout the late Middle Ages and beyond, England was a relatively stable and prosperous nation, largely free from the petty conflicts and power struggles of the majority of Western Europe. This stability was due to a multitude of factors that impacted the nobility, but only one that really affected the general populace: a stable and steady food supply. How was this possible? It can be attributed to a multitude of factors, but I believe one stands out above the rest: the multitude of unique individuals, including such luminaries as Jethro Tull, who introduced new agricultural methods to Britain. These methods increased crop yields and therefore advanced the general health, stability, and tranquility of the feudal and post-feudal peasantry. There is, however, one period of growth that encompasses almost all of the major innovations, as well as the lifespans of many luminaries. This period is commonly known as the British Agricultural Revolution. However, calling it the British Agricultural Revolution is a misnomer because most revolutions, such as the Industrial Revolution or the Scientific Revolution, take place over a period of relatively few years, certainly less than a century. However, the British Agricultural Revolution took place over centuries, from roughly the 15th to the 19th century. Therefore, since it evolved more than it revolved, I would not call it a revolution but rather an evolution....

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...However, what about those who couldn’t? Fortunately, the 20th century, with its cheap, petroleum-powered steel and iron ‘horses’, solved the issue by making a single tractor capable of performing almost all of the duties required by a small farmer. The first gasoline tractors were immensely successful, and by 1920, it was rare to find a farm without one. These tractors paved the way for future developments in agricultural and fertilizer technology, eventually allowing the production of modern, computerized, GPS-driven tractors and combines of today.