Population Connection, ©2015Page 1

Below is a detailed description of how to facilitate class discussion using the website www.WorldPopulationHistory.org. The purpose of the discussion is to explore the impacts advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation had on population size.

The Student Readings column contains the text from all 12 student reading cards in order. Cards are divided into five categories: Pre-Industrial Population Growth (2), Medical Advances (3), Food and Agriculture Advances (3), Public Health and Sanitation Advances (3), and Global Impact (1).

The Teacher Prompts column is divided into two parts, timeline milestones and teacher-led discussion prompts. The timeline milestones list the year in which the event occurs and its title. To select a timeline milestone, simply type the year into the search box located in the upper right corner of the website, zoom in, and select the appropriate milestone. The teacher-led discussion prompts are to be used in conjunction with the text on each milestone pop-up. Review the text and expand upon the significance of each event. In many cases, the teacher-led discussion prompts require students to use prior knowledge to draw connections and make inferences about how and why the milestone impacted population growth.

Teacher IntroWe are now going to explore the specific advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation that catalyzed the population explosion in Western Europe and the United States. I am going to pass out information cards and will need 12 volunteers to help read. As we learn about major historical milestones, we will pause and explore them in greater detail using the World Population History timeline.

Student ReadingsReading #1 (Pre-Industrial Population Growth)For much of history, human population has grown at a slow to moderate pace. This slow rate of growth is attributed to a relatively even ratio of births to deaths. A lot of people were being born, but a high percentage of them died, primarily from what we now consider preventable causes. Changes in the birth rate or death rate of a population can have a great impact on population size. When we examine population growth from 1 CE to 1700 (when death rates were high), we find that population did not grow as fast as it did in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries when death rates began to decline.

Reading #2 (Pre-Industrial Population Growth) The Industrial Revolution began in England in the late 1700s and had a significant impact on the death rate of the newly industrializing countries of Europe and North America. Advancements in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation all played a large role in reducing mortality and improving quality of life, which, in turn, increased population growth rates. Europe’s population was estimated at 125 million in 1700.

Two hundred years later, its population had nearly quadrupled in size, reaching an estimated 420 million by 1900. Innovation and discovery during the Industrial Revolution, coupled with extraordinary increases in overall rate of natural increase, had profound impacts on the economy, environment, and society.

Reading #3 (Medical Advances)During the 19th and 20th centuries, advances in medicine dramatically improved quality of life in Western Europe and the United States. Discoveries in biology and chemistry led to the development of new medicines, adoption of innovative medical techniques, and aseptic practices. Many of these advances would not have been possible without the invention of the microscope in 1676.

Reading #4 (Medical Advances)In 1796, Edward Jenner discovered a cure for smallpox. Later Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, confirmed germ theory, which states that many diseases are caused by the presence and actions of specific micro-organisms.

Reading #5 (Medical Advances)Germ theory was fundamental in the development of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines. Penicillin, later discovered in the early 20th century, provided quick and complete treatment of previously incurable bacterial illnesses. Later, strategic vaccination campaigns were able to eliminate common diseases like measles, mumps, diphtheria, and tetanus in Europe and the United States.

Reading #6 (Food and Agriculture Advances)During the Industrial Revolution, improvements in how we grow and transport food had a great influence on population. Greater quantities and access to food lessened the dangers and impacts of famine and improved overall nutrition on a grand scale. The British Agricultural Revolution (1700-1850) resulted in unprecedented increases in labor and land productivity between the 17th and 19th centuries. Advances in farm machinery made it easier for farmers to ready and harvest greater expanses of agricultural land with ease.

Reading #7 (Food and Agriculture Advances)New agricultural methods, such as the four-crop rotation method, greatly increased crop and livestock yields by improving soil fertility and reducing fallow. By the 19th century, many British agricultural practices had been adopted by most of continental Europe. Finally, the large scale commercial use of items, such as fertilizer, made helpful resources more accessible. Later, the development and widespread use of chemical fertilizers led to heartier and more bountiful crop yields.

Reading #8 (Food and Agriculture Advances)The Industrial Revolution also made food more accessible. The development of the steam engine dramatically changed the way agricultural goods were transported across Europe, providing quick and reliable access to cities across the continent. In the early 19th century, British engineer Richard Trevithick constructed the first steam locomotive. By 1950, Britain had more than 6,000 miles of railway track, which allowed it to transport goods and people faster than ever before.

Reading #9 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)What better farming methods did for crop yields, better sanitation and sewage regulation did for public health. During the Industrial Revolution, populations in Britain’s urban centers increased rapidly as people migrated into cities to fill new jobs in factories. London doubled in size between 1801 and 1841. As the population grew, demand for basic necessities outstripped supply. Overcrowded neighborhoods, often served by inadequate public water supplies with poor waste disposal systems, led to recurring outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, tuberculosis (TB), typhoid fever, and other water-borne diseases. As cities grew, social reformers and physicians began to identify connections between the intolerable conditions of urban slums, poor sanitation, and the need for greater investment in public health.

Reading #10 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)Edwin Chadwick led the British movement toward sanitary reform. His work drew a clear link between poor sanitary conditions and high mortality rates. Later, in 1854, physician John Snow discovered that cholera was transmitted through contaminated water.

Reading #11 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)The Industrial Revolution also led to radical changes in how we manage freshwater resources. Modern sewer systems were developed in an attempt to dispel contaminated wastewater and fecal matter away from populated areas. The flush toilet (1775), had a profound impact on public health. Cities were able to transport human wastes (via sewage systems) out of crowded households and city streets. Early sewage systems discharged raw and untreated sewage directly into waterways. Later, as tolerance from cities downriver waned, municipalities developed more advanced methods of wastewater treatment. Efforts were also made to reduce contamination of precious drinking water. In the United States, chlorination and other treatments for public water supply became common practice by the early 1900s, further decreasing the incidence of water contamination and disease.

Reading #12 (Global Impact)Through the beginning of the 20th century, advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation affected populations primarily in more developed countries. But as these advances spread out from their epicenters in Europe and the United States and into developing nations, death rates fell dramatically in these regions as well. Following World War II, human population grew explosively, reaching growth rates as high as 4 percent a year for some developing nations. World population hit 1 billion in 1804. It took us 123 years to double our population to 2 billion in 1927. From there, it only took 47 years for the population to double again to 4 billion. Today, the United Nations predicts that it will take us 50 years (from 1974) to double to 8 billion in 2024.

MilestoneFor years 1 and 1700 do not click on any milestones, instead, direct your students’ attention to the map only.

MilestoneEffects of the Industrial Revolution

Teacher PromptsYear 1

1700

Review changes in the number of dots on the map. In 1 CE, there are 170 dots on the map. In 1700, there are 605 dots. Ask students how many dots must be added (in a 315 year time frame) to reach our current population of 7.3 billion.

Year1760

Review the significance of the Industrial Revolution. Briefly discuss changes in urbanization, industrial activity, and social organization and then narrow the focus to the impact of the Industrial Revolution on population.

Year 1676

Discuss the importance of the microscope, focusing on how it has advanced medical knowledge.

Year 17971858

Discuss the significance of vaccines and pasteurization on human health.

Year 1940

Discuss the importance of antibiotics to human health.

Year170117861834

Discuss the ways in which the seed drill and mechanical thresher helped increase crop yields. Ask students to brainstorm ways in which new farm machinery helped make agricultural practices more efficient.

Year1843

1913

Discuss the impacts fertilizer use has on crop yields and how increased yields impact population size.

Year1825

1869

Review the development of the steam powered railway in Great Britain and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in the United States and discuss their impacts on the ability to transport goods across great distances.

Year1800

Discuss why London was the first city to reach 1 million inhabitants since the Roman Empire. Touch on the fact that Great Britain was the first country to industrialize and experienced increased migration to urban centers to fill new jobs before many other Western European cities.

Year1843

1845

Discuss the impact Edwin Chadwick had on the public health movement. Review John Snow’s research and how it led to the development of more advanced urban water and wastewater systems.

Year1777

Review the importance of the flush toilet. Discuss contaminated water’s role in the spread of waterborne diseases by linking improper disposal of human wastes to John Snow’s research. Discuss the need for wastewater treatment centers and how they improve public health.

Year1804192719742024

Review the changes in the number of dots on the map for the years listed above. Discuss the differences in doubling time and explore their significance in regard to space, natural resources, and quality of life.

The Peopling of Our PlanetTimeline Exploration Guide

Population Connection, ©2015Page 2

Below is a detailed description of how to facilitate class discussion using the website www.WorldPopulationHistory.org. The purpose of the discussion is to explore the impacts advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation had on population size.

The Student Readings column contains the text from all 12 student reading cards in order. Cards are divided into five categories: Pre-Industrial Population Growth (2), Medical Advances (3), Food and Agriculture Advances (3), Public Health and Sanitation Advances (3), and Global Impact (1).

The Teacher Prompts column is divided into two parts, timeline milestones and teacher-led discussion prompts. The timeline milestones list the year in which the event occurs and its title. To select a timeline milestone, simply type the year into the search box located in the upper right corner of the website, zoom in, and select the appropriate milestone. The teacher-led discussion prompts are to be used in conjunction with the text on each milestone pop-up. Review the text and expand upon the significance of each event. In many cases, the teacher-led discussion prompts require students to use prior knowledge to draw connections and make inferences about how and why the milestone impacted population growth.

Teacher IntroWe are now going to explore the specific advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation that catalyzed the population explosion in Western Europe and the United States. I am going to pass out information cards and will need 12 volunteers to help read. As we learn about major historical milestones, we will pause and explore them in greater detail using the World Population History timeline.

Student ReadingsReading #1 (Pre-Industrial Population Growth)For much of history, human population has grown at a slow to moderate pace. This slow rate of growth is attributed to a relatively even ratio of births to deaths. A lot of people were being born, but a high percentage of them died, primarily from what we now consider preventable causes. Changes in the birth rate or death rate of a population can have a great impact on population size. When we examine population growth from 1 CE to 1700 (when death rates were high), we find that population did not grow as fast as it did in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries when death rates began to decline.

Reading #2 (Pre-Industrial Population Growth) The Industrial Revolution began in England in the late 1700s and had a significant impact on the death rate of the newly industrializing countries of Europe and North America. Advancements in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation all played a large role in reducing mortality and improving quality of life, which, in turn, increased population growth rates. Europe’s population was estimated at 125 million in 1700.

Two hundred years later, its population had nearly quadrupled in size, reaching an estimated 420 million by 1900. Innovation and discovery during the Industrial Revolution, coupled with extraordinary increases in overall rate of natural increase, had profound impacts on the economy, environment, and society.

Reading #3 (Medical Advances)During the 19th and 20th centuries, advances in medicine dramatically improved quality of life in Western Europe and the United States. Discoveries in biology and chemistry led to the development of new medicines, adoption of innovative medical techniques, and aseptic practices. Many of these advances would not have been possible without the invention of the microscope in 1676.

Reading #4 (Medical Advances)In 1796, Edward Jenner discovered a cure for smallpox. Later Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, confirmed germ theory, which states that many diseases are caused by the presence and actions of specific micro-organisms.

Reading #5 (Medical Advances)Germ theory was fundamental in the development of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines. Penicillin, later discovered in the early 20th century, provided quick and complete treatment of previously incurable bacterial illnesses. Later, strategic vaccination campaigns were able to eliminate common diseases like measles, mumps, diphtheria, and tetanus in Europe and the United States.

Reading #6 (Food and Agriculture Advances)During the Industrial Revolution, improvements in how we grow and transport food had a great influence on population. Greater quantities and access to food lessened the dangers and impacts of famine and improved overall nutrition on a grand scale. The British Agricultural Revolution (1700-1850) resulted in unprecedented increases in labor and land productivity between the 17th and 19th centuries. Advances in farm machinery made it easier for farmers to ready and harvest greater expanses of agricultural land with ease.

Reading #7 (Food and Agriculture Advances)New agricultural methods, such as the four-crop rotation method, greatly increased crop and livestock yields by improving soil fertility and reducing fallow. By the 19th century, many British agricultural practices had been adopted by most of continental Europe. Finally, the large scale commercial use of items, such as fertilizer, made helpful resources more accessible. Later, the development and widespread use of chemical fertilizers led to heartier and more bountiful crop yields.

Reading #8 (Food and Agriculture Advances)The Industrial Revolution also made food more accessible. The development of the steam engine dramatically changed the way agricultural goods were transported across Europe, providing quick and reliable access to cities across the continent. In the early 19th century, British engineer Richard Trevithick constructed the first steam locomotive. By 1950, Britain had more than 6,000 miles of railway track, which allowed it to transport goods and people faster than ever before.

Reading #9 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)What better farming methods did for crop yields, better sanitation and sewage regulation did for public health. During the Industrial Revolution, populations in Britain’s urban centers increased rapidly as people migrated into cities to fill new jobs in factories. London doubled in size between 1801 and 1841. As the population grew, demand for basic necessities outstripped supply. Overcrowded neighborhoods, often served by inadequate public water supplies with poor waste disposal systems, led to recurring outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, tuberculosis (TB), typhoid fever, and other water-borne diseases. As cities grew, social reformers and physicians began to identify connections between the intolerable conditions of urban slums, poor sanitation, and the need for greater investment in public health.

Reading #10 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)Edwin Chadwick led the British movement toward sanitary reform. His work drew a clear link between poor sanitary conditions and high mortality rates. Later, in 1854, physician John Snow discovered that cholera was transmitted through contaminated water.

Reading #11 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)The Industrial Revolution also led to radical changes in how we manage freshwater resources. Modern sewer systems were developed in an attempt to dispel contaminated wastewater and fecal matter away from populated areas. The flush toilet (1775), had a profound impact on public health. Cities were able to transport human wastes (via sewage systems) out of crowded households and city streets. Early sewage systems discharged raw and untreated sewage directly into waterways. Later, as tolerance from cities downriver waned, municipalities developed more advanced methods of wastewater treatment. Efforts were also made to reduce contamination of precious drinking water. In the United States, chlorination and other treatments for public water supply became common practice by the early 1900s, further decreasing the incidence of water contamination and disease.

Reading #12 (Global Impact)Through the beginning of the 20th century, advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation affected populations primarily in more developed countries. But as these advances spread out from their epicenters in Europe and the United States and into developing nations, death rates fell dramatically in these regions as well. Following World War II, human population grew explosively, reaching growth rates as high as 4 percent a year for some developing nations. World population hit 1 billion in 1804. It took us 123 years to double our population to 2 billion in 1927. From there, it only took 47 years for the population to double again to 4 billion. Today, the United Nations predicts that it will take us 50 years (from 1974) to double to 8 billion in 2024.

MilestoneInvention of the Microscope

MilestoneSmallpox VaccinePasteurization

MilestoneAntibiotics

MilestoneSeed DrillThresherNew Farm Equipment

Teacher PromptsYear 1

1700

Review changes in the number of dots on the map. In 1 CE, there are 170 dots on the map. In 1700, there are 605 dots. Ask students how many dots must be added (in a 315 year time frame) to reach our current population of 7.3 billion.

Year1760

Review the significance of the Industrial Revolution. Briefly discuss changes in urbanization, industrial activity, and social organization and then narrow the focus to the impact of the Industrial Revolution on population.

Year 1676

Discuss the importance of the microscope, focusing on how it has advanced medical knowledge.

Year 17971858

Discuss the significance of vaccines and pasteurization on human health.

Year 1940

Discuss the importance of antibiotics to human health.

Year170117861834

Discuss the ways in which the seed drill and mechanical thresher helped increase crop yields. Ask students to brainstorm ways in which new farm machinery helped make agricultural practices more efficient.

Year1843

1913

Discuss the impacts fertilizer use has on crop yields and how increased yields impact population size.

Year1825

1869

Review the development of the steam powered railway in Great Britain and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in the United States and discuss their impacts on the ability to transport goods across great distances.

Year1800

Discuss why London was the first city to reach 1 million inhabitants since the Roman Empire. Touch on the fact that Great Britain was the first country to industrialize and experienced increased migration to urban centers to fill new jobs before many other Western European cities.

Year1843

1845

Discuss the impact Edwin Chadwick had on the public health movement. Review John Snow’s research and how it led to the development of more advanced urban water and wastewater systems.

Year1777

Review the importance of the flush toilet. Discuss contaminated water’s role in the spread of waterborne diseases by linking improper disposal of human wastes to John Snow’s research. Discuss the need for wastewater treatment centers and how they improve public health.

Year1804192719742024

Review the changes in the number of dots on the map for the years listed above. Discuss the differences in doubling time and explore their significance in regard to space, natural resources, and quality of life.

The Peopling of Our PlanetTimeline Exploration Guide

Population Connection, ©2015Page 3

Student ReadingsReading #1 (Pre-Industrial Population Growth)For much of history, human population has grown at a slow to moderate pace. This slow rate of growth is attributed to a relatively even ratio of births to deaths. A lot of people were being born, but a high percentage of them died, primarily from what we now consider preventable causes. Changes in the birth rate or death rate of a population can have a great impact on population size. When we examine population growth from 1 CE to 1700 (when death rates were high), we find that population did not grow as fast as it did in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries when death rates began to decline.

Reading #2 (Pre-Industrial Population Growth) The Industrial Revolution began in England in the late 1700s and had a significant impact on the death rate of the newly industrializing countries of Europe and North America. Advancements in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation all played a large role in reducing mortality and improving quality of life, which, in turn, increased population growth rates. Europe’s population was estimated at 125 million in 1700.

Two hundred years later, its population had nearly quadrupled in size, reaching an estimated 420 million by 1900. Innovation and discovery during the Industrial Revolution, coupled with extraordinary increases in overall rate of natural increase, had profound impacts on the economy, environment, and society.

Reading #3 (Medical Advances)During the 19th and 20th centuries, advances in medicine dramatically improved quality of life in Western Europe and the United States. Discoveries in biology and chemistry led to the development of new medicines, adoption of innovative medical techniques, and aseptic practices. Many of these advances would not have been possible without the invention of the microscope in 1676.

Reading #4 (Medical Advances)In 1796, Edward Jenner discovered a cure for smallpox. Later Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, confirmed germ theory, which states that many diseases are caused by the presence and actions of specific micro-organisms.

Reading #5 (Medical Advances)Germ theory was fundamental in the development of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines. Penicillin, later discovered in the early 20th century, provided quick and complete treatment of previously incurable bacterial illnesses. Later, strategic vaccination campaigns were able to eliminate common diseases like measles, mumps, diphtheria, and tetanus in Europe and the United States.

Reading #6 (Food and Agriculture Advances)During the Industrial Revolution, improvements in how we grow and transport food had a great influence on population. Greater quantities and access to food lessened the dangers and impacts of famine and improved overall nutrition on a grand scale. The British Agricultural Revolution (1700-1850) resulted in unprecedented increases in labor and land productivity between the 17th and 19th centuries. Advances in farm machinery made it easier for farmers to ready and harvest greater expanses of agricultural land with ease.

Reading #7 (Food and Agriculture Advances)New agricultural methods, such as the four-crop rotation method, greatly increased crop and livestock yields by improving soil fertility and reducing fallow. By the 19th century, many British agricultural practices had been adopted by most of continental Europe. Finally, the large scale commercial use of items, such as fertilizer, made helpful resources more accessible. Later, the development and widespread use of chemical fertilizers led to heartier and more bountiful crop yields.

Reading #8 (Food and Agriculture Advances)The Industrial Revolution also made food more accessible. The development of the steam engine dramatically changed the way agricultural goods were transported across Europe, providing quick and reliable access to cities across the continent. In the early 19th century, British engineer Richard Trevithick constructed the first steam locomotive. By 1950, Britain had more than 6,000 miles of railway track, which allowed it to transport goods and people faster than ever before.

Reading #9 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)What better farming methods did for crop yields, better sanitation and sewage regulation did for public health. During the Industrial Revolution, populations in Britain’s urban centers increased rapidly as people migrated into cities to fill new jobs in factories. London doubled in size between 1801 and 1841. As the population grew, demand for basic necessities outstripped supply. Overcrowded neighborhoods, often served by inadequate public water supplies with poor waste disposal systems, led to recurring outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, tuberculosis (TB), typhoid fever, and other water-borne diseases. As cities grew, social reformers and physicians began to identify connections between the intolerable conditions of urban slums, poor sanitation, and the need for greater investment in public health.

Reading #10 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)Edwin Chadwick led the British movement toward sanitary reform. His work drew a clear link between poor sanitary conditions and high mortality rates. Later, in 1854, physician John Snow discovered that cholera was transmitted through contaminated water.

Reading #11 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)The Industrial Revolution also led to radical changes in how we manage freshwater resources. Modern sewer systems were developed in an attempt to dispel contaminated wastewater and fecal matter away from populated areas. The flush toilet (1775), had a profound impact on public health. Cities were able to transport human wastes (via sewage systems) out of crowded households and city streets. Early sewage systems discharged raw and untreated sewage directly into waterways. Later, as tolerance from cities downriver waned, municipalities developed more advanced methods of wastewater treatment. Efforts were also made to reduce contamination of precious drinking water. In the United States, chlorination and other treatments for public water supply became common practice by the early 1900s, further decreasing the incidence of water contamination and disease.

Reading #12 (Global Impact)Through the beginning of the 20th century, advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation affected populations primarily in more developed countries. But as these advances spread out from their epicenters in Europe and the United States and into developing nations, death rates fell dramatically in these regions as well. Following World War II, human population grew explosively, reaching growth rates as high as 4 percent a year for some developing nations. World population hit 1 billion in 1804. It took us 123 years to double our population to 2 billion in 1927. From there, it only took 47 years for the population to double again to 4 billion. Today, the United Nations predicts that it will take us 50 years (from 1974) to double to 8 billion in 2024.

MilestoneFirst Fertilizer FactoryBeginning of Chemical Fertilization

MilestoneSteam Powered RailwayTranscontinental Railroad Completed

MilestoneA City of One Million

Teacher PromptsYear 1

1700

Review changes in the number of dots on the map. In 1 CE, there are 170 dots on the map. In 1700, there are 605 dots. Ask students how many dots must be added (in a 315 year time frame) to reach our current population of 7.3 billion.

Year1760

Review the significance of the Industrial Revolution. Briefly discuss changes in urbanization, industrial activity, and social organization and then narrow the focus to the impact of the Industrial Revolution on population.

Year 1676

Discuss the importance of the microscope, focusing on how it has advanced medical knowledge.

Year 17971858

Discuss the significance of vaccines and pasteurization on human health.

Year 1940

Discuss the importance of antibiotics to human health.

Year170117861834

Discuss the ways in which the seed drill and mechanical thresher helped increase crop yields. Ask students to brainstorm ways in which new farm machinery helped make agricultural practices more efficient.

Year1843

1913

Discuss the impacts fertilizer use has on crop yields and how increased yields impact population size.

Year1825

1869

Review the development of the steam powered railway in Great Britain and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in the United States and discuss their impacts on the ability to transport goods across great distances.

Year1800

Discuss why London was the first city to reach 1 million inhabitants since the Roman Empire. Touch on the fact that Great Britain was the first country to industrialize and experienced increased migration to urban centers to fill new jobs before many other Western European cities.

Year1843

1845

Discuss the impact Edwin Chadwick had on the public health movement. Review John Snow’s research and how it led to the development of more advanced urban water and wastewater systems.

Year1777

Review the importance of the flush toilet. Discuss contaminated water’s role in the spread of waterborne diseases by linking improper disposal of human wastes to John Snow’s research. Discuss the need for wastewater treatment centers and how they improve public health.

Year1804192719742024

Review the changes in the number of dots on the map for the years listed above. Discuss the differences in doubling time and explore their significance in regard to space, natural resources, and quality of life.

The Peopling of Our PlanetTimeline Exploration Guide

Population Connection, ©2015Page 4

Student ReadingsReading #1 (Pre-Industrial Population Growth)For much of history, human population has grown at a slow to moderate pace. This slow rate of growth is attributed to a relatively even ratio of births to deaths. A lot of people were being born, but a high percentage of them died, primarily from what we now consider preventable causes. Changes in the birth rate or death rate of a population can have a great impact on population size. When we examine population growth from 1 CE to 1700 (when death rates were high), we find that population did not grow as fast as it did in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries when death rates began to decline.

Reading #2 (Pre-Industrial Population Growth) The Industrial Revolution began in England in the late 1700s and had a significant impact on the death rate of the newly industrializing countries of Europe and North America. Advancements in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation all played a large role in reducing mortality and improving quality of life, which, in turn, increased population growth rates. Europe’s population was estimated at 125 million in 1700.

Two hundred years later, its population had nearly quadrupled in size, reaching an estimated 420 million by 1900. Innovation and discovery during the Industrial Revolution, coupled with extraordinary increases in overall rate of natural increase, had profound impacts on the economy, environment, and society.

Reading #3 (Medical Advances)During the 19th and 20th centuries, advances in medicine dramatically improved quality of life in Western Europe and the United States. Discoveries in biology and chemistry led to the development of new medicines, adoption of innovative medical techniques, and aseptic practices. Many of these advances would not have been possible without the invention of the microscope in 1676.

Reading #4 (Medical Advances)In 1796, Edward Jenner discovered a cure for smallpox. Later Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, confirmed germ theory, which states that many diseases are caused by the presence and actions of specific micro-organisms.

Reading #5 (Medical Advances)Germ theory was fundamental in the development of antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines. Penicillin, later discovered in the early 20th century, provided quick and complete treatment of previously incurable bacterial illnesses. Later, strategic vaccination campaigns were able to eliminate common diseases like measles, mumps, diphtheria, and tetanus in Europe and the United States.

Reading #6 (Food and Agriculture Advances)During the Industrial Revolution, improvements in how we grow and transport food had a great influence on population. Greater quantities and access to food lessened the dangers and impacts of famine and improved overall nutrition on a grand scale. The British Agricultural Revolution (1700-1850) resulted in unprecedented increases in labor and land productivity between the 17th and 19th centuries. Advances in farm machinery made it easier for farmers to ready and harvest greater expanses of agricultural land with ease.

Reading #7 (Food and Agriculture Advances)New agricultural methods, such as the four-crop rotation method, greatly increased crop and livestock yields by improving soil fertility and reducing fallow. By the 19th century, many British agricultural practices had been adopted by most of continental Europe. Finally, the large scale commercial use of items, such as fertilizer, made helpful resources more accessible. Later, the development and widespread use of chemical fertilizers led to heartier and more bountiful crop yields.

Reading #8 (Food and Agriculture Advances)The Industrial Revolution also made food more accessible. The development of the steam engine dramatically changed the way agricultural goods were transported across Europe, providing quick and reliable access to cities across the continent. In the early 19th century, British engineer Richard Trevithick constructed the first steam locomotive. By 1950, Britain had more than 6,000 miles of railway track, which allowed it to transport goods and people faster than ever before.

Reading #9 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)What better farming methods did for crop yields, better sanitation and sewage regulation did for public health. During the Industrial Revolution, populations in Britain’s urban centers increased rapidly as people migrated into cities to fill new jobs in factories. London doubled in size between 1801 and 1841. As the population grew, demand for basic necessities outstripped supply. Overcrowded neighborhoods, often served by inadequate public water supplies with poor waste disposal systems, led to recurring outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, tuberculosis (TB), typhoid fever, and other water-borne diseases. As cities grew, social reformers and physicians began to identify connections between the intolerable conditions of urban slums, poor sanitation, and the need for greater investment in public health.

Reading #10 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)Edwin Chadwick led the British movement toward sanitary reform. His work drew a clear link between poor sanitary conditions and high mortality rates. Later, in 1854, physician John Snow discovered that cholera was transmitted through contaminated water.

Reading #11 (Public Health and Sanitation Advances)The Industrial Revolution also led to radical changes in how we manage freshwater resources. Modern sewer systems were developed in an attempt to dispel contaminated wastewater and fecal matter away from populated areas. The flush toilet (1775), had a profound impact on public health. Cities were able to transport human wastes (via sewage systems) out of crowded households and city streets. Early sewage systems discharged raw and untreated sewage directly into waterways. Later, as tolerance from cities downriver waned, municipalities developed more advanced methods of wastewater treatment. Efforts were also made to reduce contamination of precious drinking water. In the United States, chlorination and other treatments for public water supply became common practice by the early 1900s, further decreasing the incidence of water contamination and disease.

Reading #12 (Global Impact)Through the beginning of the 20th century, advances in medicine, food and agriculture, and public health and sanitation affected populations primarily in more developed countries. But as these advances spread out from their epicenters in Europe and the United States and into developing nations, death rates fell dramatically in these regions as well. Following World War II, human population grew explosively, reaching growth rates as high as 4 percent a year for some developing nations. World population hit 1 billion in 1804. It took us 123 years to double our population to 2 billion in 1927. From there, it only took 47 years for the population to double again to 4 billion. Today, the United Nations predicts that it will take us 50 years (from 1974) to double to 8 billion in 2024.

MilestoneStart of Public Health MovementWater-Borne Diseases and Sanitation

MilestoneFlush Toilet

MilestoneFor years 1804, 1927, 1974, and 2024 do not click on any milestones, instead, direct your students’ attention to the map only.

Teacher PromptsYear 1

1700

Review changes in the number of dots on the map. In 1 CE, there are 170 dots on the map. In 1700, there are 605 dots. Ask students how many dots must be added (in a 315 year time frame) to reach our current population of 7.3 billion.

Year1760

Review the significance of the Industrial Revolution. Briefly discuss changes in urbanization, industrial activity, and social organization and then narrow the focus to the impact of the Industrial Revolution on population.

Year 1676

Discuss the importance of the microscope, focusing on how it has advanced medical knowledge.

Year 17971858

Discuss the significance of vaccines and pasteurization on human health.

Year 1940

Discuss the importance of antibiotics to human health.

Year170117861834

Discuss the ways in which the seed drill and mechanical thresher helped increase crop yields. Ask students to brainstorm ways in which new farm machinery helped make agricultural practices more efficient.

Year1843

1913

Discuss the impacts fertilizer use has on crop yields and how increased yields impact population size.

Year1825

1869

Review the development of the steam powered railway in Great Britain and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in the United States and discuss their impacts on the ability to transport goods across great distances.

Year1800

Discuss why London was the first city to reach 1 million inhabitants since the Roman Empire. Touch on the fact that Great Britain was the first country to industrialize and experienced increased migration to urban centers to fill new jobs before many other Western European cities.

Year1843

1845

Discuss the impact Edwin Chadwick had on the public health movement. Review John Snow’s research and how it led to the development of more advanced urban water and wastewater systems.

Year1777

Review the importance of the flush toilet. Discuss contaminated water’s role in the spread of waterborne diseases by linking improper disposal of human wastes to John Snow’s research. Discuss the need for wastewater treatment centers and how they improve public health.

Year1804192719742024

Review the changes in the number of dots on the map for the years listed above. Discuss the differences in doubling time and explore their significance in regard to space, natural resources, and quality of life.

The Peopling of Our PlanetTimeline Exploration Guide