Peasants Revolt Flashcards
Who are serfs and villeins
They had to work three days a week on the lords land for no pay. They also had to do other work and pay fines to the Lord. They wanted to be paid wages like free labourers. They wanted to end the feudal system becoming free labourers.
What are 2 short term causes for the revolt
The Poll Tax
John Ball
What is the poll tax
Taxes where rare but three taxes where collected in 4 years.
This was to pay for the hundred year’s war, however nobody knew much about it or cared. The poll tax was unfair as everyone over 14 had to pay the same amount no matter if you were rich or poor.
In 1377- 4 pence
In 1379- 4 pence
In 1380- 12 pence (1 shilling) which could be two weeks wages!
In 1380 lots of people hid from tax collectors. So in 1381 tax collectors came back looking for people they’d missed.
Who was John Ball
Poor priests like John ball stirred up peasants against the lords.
They said the church was to rich and bishops have forgotten how God wanted his churches, therefore they wanted no bishops.
God wanted an equal world, with no lords as in the Adam and Eve story. They said the feudal system was against God’s wishes.
“We are men formed in Christ likeness and they treat us like beasts”.
What where the peasants thinking
Many peasants, already angry about their pay conditions, where pushed by the heavy taxes and words of men like Ball into hitting back. It was dangerous to rebel but they where desperate.
What happened in May 1381
The peasant’s anger erupted as tax collectors arrived again. The people feared a new poll tax. However they where just looking for the people they had missed in 1380.
What happens to a land owner in Essex
He led peasants in refusing to pay tax collectors in the village of fobbing. However three of his clerks where killed a few days later.
Who was made leader of Kent
Wat Tyler
Who’s palace did they burn down
In Canterbury they burned down the palace of the archbishop as he was also chancellor so he was blamed for the poll tax.
Where where other riots
Sussex and Surrey across East Anglia to Norfolk and as far as Dorset and Yorkshire.
What did the peasants mainly attack and destroy
Mannor houses where attacked
Tax records and legal documents were destroyed
Law courts and jails were also attacked.
How many Rebels went to London from Essex and Kent
About 60,000 to take their complaints to Richard ll, who they believed would agree to their demands.
Where did the Kent and Essex rebels camp
Kent- Blackheath
Essex- Mile End, outside London
What date did the Kent rebels break into Fleet Prison
12th June, 1381
Where did Richard ll try to meet them
Blackheath but rowed back to the Tower of London.
What happened on the 13th June
Rebels crossed London Bridge into the city.
Destroyed the home of the royal treasurer.
Burned down the Savoy palace, home to the king’s uncle and advisor.
Law courts and temples where attacked.
What happened on the 14th June
The King met Wat Tyler at Mile End
Richard ll pardoned the rebels and gave them freedom
30 clerks wrote out pardons
Many rebels went home however Tyler and others broke into the tower that night.
They killed the organiser of the poll tax and 140 others.
What date did Richard ll meet Tyler at Smithfield
15th June
What did Tyler demand to Richard
There should be no lords and the church lands should be divided.
Who wounded Tyler and why
The Mayor Of Walworth badly wounded him as he insulted the King.
Which hospital was Wat Tyler taken to
Bartholomew’s but he was later dragged out and beheaded
What did the King say to the rebels to calm them
“Would you shoot your King? I am your captain. You shall have no other captain but me”.
How did Richard trick the rebels
He agreed to their demands and they believed him and went home. However 8,000 of the kings knights followed, killing about 1,500 rebels
What were the consequences of the revolt
Poll taxes where dropped- Mrs Thatcher faced riots when she made one.
Wages rose- Lords preferred to keep workers than to keep the law
Feudal System collapsed- as shortage of workers
Was it a success
In the short term it was a failure
However in the long term many of their aims where achieved.
What is the difference between a revolts and rebellions
A revolution is an overthrow of the Government and be replaced (political) and there can be deaths.
A rebellion is an organised resistance, it can turn into a revolution or it could be, e.g, to get certain privileges like hanged taxes , lifting ban on certain worship or religion.
The peasants revolt was a rebellion as their was not to much about overthrowing the government, instead to lower taxes and everybody should be equal.
What are 4 long term causes for the revolt
Black Death- Killing 1.5 million out of 4 million
Wages- went up after the Black Death as not as many peasants
Statue of Labourers- wages went down to what they where
Freedom- villeins and serfs wanted to be free labourers
