**Estimated Population of Selected English Cities, 1700–1801** | City | Estimated Population in 1700 | Estimated Population in 1750 | Estimated Population in 1801 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Manchester | 10,000 | 25,000 | 89,000 | | Birmingham | 12,000 | 24,000 | 74,000 | | Norwich | 30,000 |

**Estimated Population of Selected English Cities, 1700–1801** | City | Estimated Populati… — AP World History: Modern

Estimated Population of Selected English Cities, 1700–1801

City	Estimated Population in 1700	Estimated Population in 1750	Estimated Population in 1801
Manchester	10,000	25,000	89,000
Birmingham	12,000	24,000	74,000
Norwich	30,000	36,000	37,000
York	12,000	12,500	16,000

The demographic changes shown in the table were most directly made possible by which of the following developments in eighteenth-century Great Britain?

A rise in food production and agricultural efficiency that allowed a growing population to migrate to manufacturing centers.Answer
B
The introduction of high-yielding crop varieties and chemical fertilizers during the Green Revolution.
C
The development of petroleum-refining techniques and electrical grids to power industrial districts.
D
The strict enforcement of mercantilist laws that banned the emigration of skilled urban artisans to the colonies.

Answer

A rise in food production and agricultural efficiency that allowed a growing population to migrate to manufacturing centers.

The correct option is correct because the Second Agricultural Revolution in Great Britain, featuring developments like the four-field crop rotation system, selective breeding, and the enclosure acts, dramatically increased food production. This surplus supported a growing national population while simultaneously displacing rural laborers who could no longer sustain themselves on common lands. Consequently, these displaced workers migrated to rapidly expanding industrial towns like Manchester and Birmingham, providing the essential labor force for early factories.

Step-by-Step Solution

Analyze the demographic data provided in the table.

Identify that new manufacturing centers (Manchester and Birmingham) grew exponentially between 1700 and 1801, while traditional administrative and older textile towns (Norwich and York) experienced stagnant or minimal growth.

This confirms that the primary change being observed is the rapid urbanization associated with the early stages of the Industrial Revolution.

Connect the observed urbanization trend to the agricultural preconditions of the Industrial Revolution.

Recall that the Agricultural Revolution in Great Britain led to increased crop yields and the enclosure of common lands. This process reduced the number of workers needed on farms while producing enough food to support a growing urban workforce.

This links the population boom and movement to the cities to the necessary food surplus and labor supply preconditions.

Evaluate the choices to find the development that fits the 1700–1801 timeframe.

Determine that the option focusing on agricultural productivity and migration matches both the chronology and the concept of agricultural preconditions, while the other options describe twentieth-century agricultural changes, late nineteenth-century technologies, or unrelated mercantilist policies.

This identifies the correct option based on historical accuracy and relevance to the topic.

Key Concept

The Agricultural Revolution as a precondition for the Industrial Revolution

Estimated Time:1m 30s

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