Britain, 1625-1701. Economy, trade and empire, 1625-88.

Britain, 1625-1701

Economy, trade and empire, 1625-88.

Agricultural change, 1625-88

• Capital investment in agriculture
  • Aristocracy & gentry --> investment led to farms drastically growing, East Anglia had farms of over 500 acres. Increased investment caused a huge increase in productivity and allowed farms to become more specialised. Productivity increased from 32.2% in 1600 to 53.6% in 1700.
  • Size of farms --> Investment stimulated the growth of larger farms. By 1700, 54% of agricultural land was incoporated into large estates. Large scale investment allowed farms to specialise and target larger markets. However smaller farms still outnumbered larger farms.
  • Tenant farmers --> Landowners delegated work to their tenants, capital investment again improved production. To meet…