The Enclosure Acts in England __________.

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The Enclosure Acts were a series of laws passed in England during the 18th and 19th centuries that allowed landowners to take control of village commons that were previously owned jointly by the villagers. This led to privatization of common lands and forced many small farmers and peasants off the land, ultimately benefitting wealthy landowners. The Enclosure Acts had a negative impact on the livelihoods of many rural communities and contributed to the growth of industrialization by providing a surplus of cheap labor. Additionally, the Enclosure Acts chronologically followed agricultural improvements such as crop rotation and selective breeding, which had been developed earlier in the 18th century.