Account for the Growth of Population in Eighteenth Century England
During the Eighteenth Century Britain underwent an explosion in population of a magnitude unsurpassed anywhere else in Europe. When George I was crowned the population of Britain was estimated at 5.25 million. One Hundred years later this number had increased to the total of 10.25 million . But why did this huge increase in population occur? The answer can be found by observing the sociological and biological changes that occurred in Britain during this period. Specifically, the increase of fertility and marriage and the decrease in mortality rates.
Explaining the sink in mortality or the rise in fertility is an arduous task as records of births and deaths let alone why they happened are scarce and are rarely very scientific. After all, it was not until 1801 that the first census in Britain was compiled. There fore, particular caution must be taken in the use of statistical sources regarding this subject.
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