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The Navigation Acts
This series of acts was a direct attack to the growing Dutch power. They made it so that only British ships could carry goods into England. This shows that Britain has always had a desire for power. Contrastingly, also shows a change in naval and trading power. -
Land Enclosure accelerates
This is a change in the rate at which land is being enclosed. Wealthy people were buying up land and selling it to lower classes. This grew the wealth of the wealthy. Revolutions as such forced people to move from rural areas to towns. -
Tull's Seed Drill
This seed drill, made by Jethro Tull, allowed for a change in rate and ways of planting. Thus more food was produced for people. This helped reduce famine. Further agricultural mechanizations sprung from this. -
Putting-Out System/Cottage Industry
Caused by Enclosure, the Putting-Out System/Cottage Industry was a change in how people maintained a stable income and lived. It caused people to shift away from agriculture. People appealed to city merchants who were ready to pay for cheap work. These merchants would supply rural people with goods to process at home. -
Four Year Crop Rotation Introduced
This introduced a new yield and way of planting. The crop rotation allowed for the prolonging of soil. This allowed for more food. More food allowed a happier growing population and less famine. -
Infanticide
This event was a continuity of a disconnectedness with people's children. It can also be considered a change because of the increased illegitimacy rates that cause this. Low wages and inability to support a child also contributed to infanticide. The infant mortality rate no doubt increased during this time. -
The Illegitimacy Explosion
This was a change in the number of out of wedlock births in Europe. It shows how desperate people were in order to save money. It was caused by the increase in food and house prices. The broken promises of marriage were also caused by low wages and the breakdown of community controls. -
Spinning Jenny Invented
This invention allowed for automating weaving the warp. This changed the difficulty of such jobs. Textile production thus increased. New jobs were also created. -
Publication of the Wealth of Nations
The Wealth of Nations provided a change in the stance people took on economy and production. It backed the idea of proletarianism and the idea that individuals should freely pursue their own economic interests. A beneficial "invisible hand" guides supply and demand, according to this book. This book provided a change in the world of economy. -
The Transatlantic Slave Trade
During the 1700s, the bulk of the Transatlantic Slave Trade was conducted. This shows the need for money, resources, and people during this time, not only for developing North America, but for Britain. It also shows a continuity in slavery throughout this period in history. Although the trade had social problems, its economic benefits were shown.
