Which major agricultural revolution is associated with enclosure, crop rotation, and selective breeding in Europe between the 17th and 19th centuries?

• A. The First Agricultural Revolution
• B. The Neolithic Revolution
• C. The Second Agricultural Revolution
• D. The Green Revolution

Answer: (C)

The major shift described is the Second Agricultural Revolution. This period in Europe, especially Britain, from the 17th to the 19th century, features enclosure—merging open fields into private plots to replace scattered, communal farming with more controlled, efficient operations. Crop rotation was systematized and improved, often with four-field or other rotation schemes that kept soils fertile and boosted yields without leaving land idle. Selective breeding by farmers and breeders, such as improving cattle and sheep, created more productive livestock. Together, these changes raised farm productivity, helped push surplus agricultural labor into urban jobs, and supported the growth of industrial economies. This distinguishes it from the earlier shift to farming in the Neolithic era and from the Green Revolution of the 20th century, which focused on high-yield varieties and chemical inputs rather than enclosure and breeding reforms.