What act in Britain involved fencing in large areas of land, impacting farmers' livelihoods?

The Enclosure Act in Britain was significant because it involved the legal process of fencing off common lands and consolidating small plots into larger, individual holdings. This transformation had a profound impact on agrarian practices and the livelihoods of farmers. Before the Enclosure Act, many rural communities relied on common lands for grazing livestock and growing crops. However, by enclosing these lands, the act shifted agricultural practices toward more intensive, efficient farming by encouraging the use of larger fields and better farming techniques.

This led to increased agricultural productivity but also displaced many small farmers, who could no longer access common land for their livelihood. As a result, many were forced to adapt in other ways, often moving to urban areas for work in factories, which contributed significantly to the rise of the labor class during the Industrial Revolution. The Enclosure Acts represent a pivotal moment in shifting agricultural practices and socio-economic structures in Britain, aligning with the broader changes happening during that era.