Peasants'Revolt

Question 1

When did the Peasants’ Revolt take place?

Answer 1

1381

Question 2

When did Richard II become King?

Answer 2

1377

Question 3

How old was Richard II when he became King?

Answer 3

10 years

Question 4

Why did Richard II become King?

Answer 4

Richard II’s grandfather Edward III died.

Question 5

Who was the most important lord in England in 1377?

Answer 5

Lord John of Gaunt

Question 6

Was Lord John of Gaunt one of the King’s advisers?

Answer 6

No

Question 7

Which areas did King Henry II rule?

Answer 7

England, large parts of France, Wales and Ireland

Question 8

How long did the war with France last?

Answer 8

over 100 years

Question 9

Why did King Richard II introduce poll tax in 1381?

Answer 9

He needed the money for the 100 years war with France

Question 10

What was the most serious rebellion in the Middle Ages?

Answer 10

The Peasants’ Revolt

Question 11

Why did Peasants Revolt?

Answer 11

Reasons for the Peasants Revolt

• Introduction of Poll tax in 1380
• Peasants wanted fairer rights

Question 12

What happened just before the Peasants Revolt in Britain?

Answer 12

Black death killed nearly one third of the population in 1348. Peasants wanted increase in wages as there was a shortage of labour.

Question 13

Where did Peasants Revolt start?

Answer 13

It started in Fobbing in Essex, and was centred on counties close to London, most notably Essex and Kent.

Question 14

Did the Peasants wages rise after the Peasants Revolt?

Answer 14

Although the King and lords triumphed, the shortage of labour after the Black Death meant that peasants’ wages actually rose.

Question 15

What was Poll tax?

Answer 15

Poll Tax was a tax paid by all adult men.

– The tax was needed to pay for the ongoing war against France (the Hundred Years War).

– Everyone, rich and poor, was charged the same amount of tax: five pence per person in England.

– Peasants feared new taxes after the introduction of Poll Tax.

There had already been tax rises in 1377, 1379 and 1380.

Question 16

After the Black Death there was a shortage of peasants and this led to their demands for wages.

Why?

Answer 16

After the Black Death there was a shortage of Peasants and they demanded wages because

– At this time, peasants still worked for lords for no pay.

– Many peasants had to work for free on Church land, sometimes for up to two days a week.

– This meant that they could not work their own land, which made it difficult to feed their families.

– Peasants wanted to be free of this burden, which made the Church rich at their expense.

Question 17

Who was John Ball?

Answer 17

John Ball was one of the leaders for the Peasants Revolt.

John Ball, a priest from Kent, said that God had not created rich and poor. Everyone should be seen as equal.

Question 18

Did the Peasants blame King Richard II for the problems?

Answer 18

Richard II was only 14 years old so the peasants believed he had been given poor advice by the Chancellor, Simon of Sudbury, and the Royal Treasurer, Sir Robert Hales.

The rebellion was more against Richard II’s advisers than the young king.

Question 19

What was the immediate cause of the Peasants’ Revolt?

Answer 19

Introduction of Poll tax

Question 20

Which areas were at the centre of the rebellion?

Answer 20

Essex and Kent

Question 21

How much was the Poll Tax?

Answer 21

All adult men over the age of sixteen had to pay 5 pence poll tax irrespective of whether they were poor or rich.

Question 22

How did the Peasants Revolt start?

Answer 22

In May 1381, a tax collector arrived in the Essex village of Fobbing to find out why people had not paid the Poll Tax. He was thrown out by the villagers.

Question 23

Who was the leader of the Peasants Revolt?

Answer 23

Wat Tyler from Kent was the leader of the Peasants Revolt.

Question 24

Where did Kent Peasants march to?

Answer 24

On 11 June, Kentish peasants marched on Blackheath, only five miles from London.

Question 25

Where did Essex Peasants march to?

Answer 25

Essex peasants marched on Mile End, just a few miles east of London.

Question 26

How many peasants were involved in the Peasants Revolt?

Answer 26

In total, there were between 50 000 and 60 000 peasants involved in the revolt.

Question 27

There were also Peasants riots in ……… (3)

Answer 27

There were also Peasants riots in Sussex, Surrey and Dorset.

Question 28

Did Richard II keep any of the promises he made to the rebels?

Answer 28

The only promise Richard II kept was the abolition of poll tax.

Question 29

When did the rebels enter London?

Answer 29

13th June 1381

Question 30

What did the rebels do in London?

Answer 30

The rebels attacked the homes of the King’s advisors.

The rebels murdered:

• John Legge the organiser of Poll Tax
• Bishop of London
• Royal Treasurer

Question 31

When and where did King Richard II meet the Essex rebels?

Answer 31

Richard II met the Essex rebels on 14th June at Mile End.

Question 32

What did Richard II promise the Essex rebels?

Answer 32

Richard II promised:

• to free any rebels from prison
• pardon rebels
• punish his advisors

Question 33

When did Richard II meet Wat Tyler?

Answer 33

Richard II met Wat Tyler on 15th of June.

Question 34

What were the demands of Wat Tyler to Richard II?

Answer 34

Wat Tyler’s demands to Richard II were:

• all men should be free (not villens)
• the Churches’ wealth should be given to the poor.

Question 35

Who killed Wat Tyler?

Answer 35

Wat Tyler was killed by the Mayor of London, William Walworth after an argument.

Question 36

Did Richard II agree to the rebels demands?

Did he act upon it?

Answer 36

Richard II agreed to the rebels demands and the rebels returned home.

Richard II broke the promise apart from putting an end to the poll tax.

Question 37

What were the main reasons for the failure of Peasants revolt?

Answer 37

There were several reasons for the failure of the Peasants’ Revolt:

• The rebels lacked discipline and organisation.
• Most of the rebels accepted Richard II’s promises and therefore returned home.
• Richard had John Ball and many rebel leaders hanged.
• In Essex and Kent, 8 000 royal troops restored order, killing 1 500 rebels.
• The King claimed all his promises were made under threat, so did not count.
• The rebellion was based mainly in Essex and Kent, not across the whole country.

Question 38

How Much did England Change After the Peasants’Revolt?

Answer 38

Although the Peasants’ Revolt failed, it did have an impact on the future of life in England.

• The Poll Tax was withdrawn.
• The shortage of labour caused by the Black Death eventually forced lords to pay peasants wages.
• Peasants’ living standards rose over the following hundred years.
• The feudal system, which had been introduced by the Normans, began to collapse.
• Richard II, although only 14 years of age, showed great calm during the revolt and won admiration.
• RichardII’s use of Parliament to raise money saved his rule for a while.
• In 1399, however, Richard II was murdered and replaced by Henry IV.
• By 1500, there were no longer any villeins.
• All Englishmen were freemen and benefited from the rights in Magna Carta.