How Did The Industrial Revolution Affect Agriculture

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Unlike today, most Americans used to live and work on small farms which supplied the nation and their own homes with food. Farmers utilized practices like crop rotation, planted multiple crops, and used animal wastes as fertilizers. However, most Americans moved from farms and live in towns and cities. The Industrial Revolution impacted farming with new technologies. Government subsidies favored corporate farms instead of poor farmers. Machinery for seeding, irrigating, and harvesting became more advanced allowing farmers to cultivate more land and become dependent on fossil fuels. Fertilizers also increased yields as well as the use of pesticides. These technologies encourage a monoculture of crops which is unsustainable for the environment.