5.5 The Second Agricultural Revolution

What Was the Second Agricultural Revolution?

The Second Agricultural Revolution overlapped with the Industrial Revolution (17th–19th centuries) and linked farming to industrial methods and technology. It began in Britain and Western Europe and spread globally, boosting food production through new tools, crop rotation systems, and mechanization, allowing farmers to feed growing urban populations.

Key Innovations

Innovations included the seed drill (Jethro Tull), improved crop rotation (like the Norfolk four-field system), selective breeding of livestock, and later mechanized equipment like the steel plow and reaper. These increased yields, reduced fallow land, and reduced the labor needed per farm, freeing workers for factory jobs.

Connection to Urbanization

Because fewer farmers were needed to produce more food, surplus rural labor migrated to cities, fueling urbanization and industrial growth. This revolution created a positive feedback loop: agricultural surplus supported city populations, and industrial technology (like machinery and fertilizers) further improved farming efficiency.

Key terms

Second Agricultural Revolution

A period overlapping the Industrial Revolution when new technology and techniques dramatically increased agricultural productivity.

Seed drill

Invented by Jethro Tull; allowed seeds to be planted in even rows at controlled depths, improving efficiency.

Norfolk four-field system

A crop rotation method using four different crops to restore soil nutrients and eliminate the need for fallow fields.

Effect on urbanization

Increased farm productivity reduced the need for agricultural labor, pushing surplus workers into cities for industrial jobs.

Region of origin

The Second Agricultural Revolution began in Britain and Western Europe before spreading globally.

Try an AP-style question

The Second Agricultural Revolution coincided with…

1. the Neolithic Revolution
2. the Columbian Exchange
3. the Green Revolution
4. the Industrial Revolution