1. Cottage Industries:
- Many goods were produced in small workshops or cottages, often by families or craftsmen.
- Production methods were mainly based on artisanal skills and manual labor.
2. Guilds:
- Craft guilds were associations of skilled workers in various trades.
- Guilds maintained quality standards, regulated apprenticeship, and controlled access to certain occupations.
3. Domestic System:
- This system involved putting-out work from merchants or manufacturers to rural workers.
- Workers produced goods, such as textiles, in their own homes using raw materials provided by the merchants.
4. Small-Scale Manufacturing:
- Some larger workshops and manufactories employed skilled artisans and apprentices to produce goods.
- Production was often decentralized, with different steps of the manufacturing process carried out in separate locations.
5. Agriculture and Farming:
- The majority of the population was engaged in agriculture and farming.
- Farming techniques were relatively simple, with hand tools and animal-drawn plows.
- Crop rotation, irrigation, and selective breeding were practiced.
6. Water and Wind Power:
- Watermills and windmills were used to harness natural energy sources.
- These mills powered machines for grinding grains, pumping water, and sawing wood.
7. Transportation:
- Most transportation relied on human labor, horses, or animal-drawn carts.
- Canals and waterways were important routes for transporting goods.
8. Communication:
- Communication was primarily through physical letters delivered by post or word-of-mouth.
9. Limited Mechanization:
- Some industries, such as mining, began using simple machines and specialized equipment.
- However, complex factory systems and mass production were still in their infancy.
10. Apprenticeships:
- Apprenticeships were common in various trades, where skilled workers trained younger individuals in their craft.
11. Rural-Based Economy:
- The pre-industrial economy was largely agrarian, with most people living in villages or rural areas.
12. Barter and Trade:
- Barter and local markets played a significant role in the exchange of goods and services.
13. Seasonal Nature of Work:
- Many activities, such as farming, were tied to seasonal cycles, influencing work patterns.
It's important to note that the transition to the industrial revolution was gradual, and many of these pre-industrial practices continued to coexist with emerging industrialized methods of production.