Though the Industrial Revolution would later influence all nations, the technology explosion began in England. All of the ingredients needed for change were there: a strong economy fortified by riches brought back from the New World; an interest in science; a stable government; lots of coal to power new factories; and a huge population that could work in the new factories and buys what the factories made. England’s population growth could be traced to the invention of the seed drill. Invented by Jethro Tull in 1700, the seed drill made planting crops easier and, along with new forms of breeding and crop rotation, set off the agricultural revolution. Farming was easier than ever before, so people had more food to eat. Improved nutrition made people healthier, and they started living longer. This resulted in a huge population boom across Europe. In the 1800s, the population of Europe doubled, growing from 100 million to 200 million people.
Why did the seed drill spark population growth in England?
A) The seed drill could be used to cure diseases that had been keeping the population from growing for decades.
B) The seed drill could be used to plant crops easier. This allowed people to eat more and live longer.
C) The seed drill could be used to drill into plants and release their seeds sooner. This allowed farmers to make more money and afford better medicine.
D) The seed drill could be used to plant crops in a safer way. This allowed people to stop hurting themselves and dying from infections on the farm.