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18th-Century Demographic Shift

Definition

The 18th-century demographic shift refers to a significant change in the population patterns and structures that occurred during the 1700s. This shift involved various factors such as changes in birth rates, death rates, migration patterns, and urbanization.

Analogy

Imagine you are playing a game of musical chairs with your friends. As the music plays, people start moving around and finding new seats. The 18th-century demographic shift is like this game, where people are constantly changing their places due to factors like birth, death, migration, and urbanization.

Related terms

Industrial Revolution: A period of rapid industrialization that began in the late 18th century and transformed societies by introducing new manufacturing processes and technologies.

Urbanization: The process of an increasing number of people moving from rural areas to cities or towns.

Malthusian Theory: A theory proposed by Thomas Malthus stating that population growth will eventually outstrip available resources unless checked by preventive measures or natural disasters.