power and the people - chapter 3 Flashcards
when and where did the ship carrying the plague arrive
in 1384, a ship arrived at Melcombe Regis in Dorset, bringing goods from europe
how far did the plague sweep and how much of the population did it kill
it quickly swept across england, getting as far as scotland by 1350
overall, it killed 1/3 of the population
which group of people was more likely to be affected by the plague
the poor
what did the plague become known as
the black death
what did the black death lead to
- had the greatest impact on peasants, who made up the majority of the workforce
- it led to fields of crops being left to rot, since there weren’t enough people to bring in the harvests, and some villages being abandoned
why were there big advantages for surviving peasants
- there were far fewer workers after the black death
-> the peasants started demanding higher wages - good, strong, hardworking peasants were now in high demand
-> so, to look for better pay, or a fairer lord, many peasants moved to neighbouring villages
what were kings and local lords becoming worried about
the peasants gaining too much power, and that the feudal system was starting to break down
so in 1351, edward III passed the Statute of Labourers
how did the peasants react to the Statute of Labourers
- they were angered
- some who had left their manor (the area their lord owned) were captured and forced to work for their lord again
- the peasants didn’t just passively accept this new situation
- between 1377 and 1379, 70% of the people brought before the Justice of the Peace were accused of breaking the Statue of Labourers
-> it was clear that the peasants who survived the black death were not afraid to stand up for themselves
what did the Statute of Labourers state
peasants had to work for those who wanted them and they could only receive the same wages as before the plague
when was the peasants revolt
1381
what did the statue of labourers try to do
control the peasants and their rising wages
causes of the peasants revolt
- black death
- statute of labourers
- poll tax
why were the peasants in a powerful position
the black death killed so many workers, and landowners needed workers to bring in the harvests
why was poll tax introduced
- the new king, Richard II, was young and inexperienced
- he had taken over from his very able grandfather, Edward III, as his father, Edward the Black Prince, had died the year before
- Richard’s reputation was not helped with his association with John of Gaunt, his main adviser and one of englands most hated landowners
- gaunt advised richard to raise taxes
- richard was also fighting unsuccessful campaigns against the french in the Hundred Years War
- to help fund these campaigns he introduced a poll tax
by 1380 what was poll tax like
by 1380, every person over the age of 15 had to pay 4 groats per year to the king
-> massive increase from the one groat they previously paid
what did many priests start to preach about, and who in particular
- started to preach about how the church had been exploiting the peasants
- key people doing this were John Whyclif and John Ball
what did Ball and Wyclif argue
that the church should not be charging pardons for sins and that the church should not have so much property when others were starving
what were the peasants inspired by
the preaching of John Ball who said, ‘When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then a gentleman?’
-> this reference to the creation of man and woman outlines in the Bible shows that there was no rich and poor, thus everyone was equal
what did the king do because of Ball’s preaching
the king had Ball arrested so his preaching couldnt influence any more people against the feudal system and the unfair distribution of wealth
-> the king was clearly worried
where did uprisings of the peasants revolt begin
in Essex and Kent
-> eventually these uprisings joined forces
who were the peasants angry at
weren’t necessarily angry at the king, but more the oppressive system they lived under
what did the peasants want
they were interested in removing bad priests and evil landowners, as these were the very people directly exploiting them
what happened on the 30th May in Fobbing
- soldiers turned up to support the tax collector John Bampton who had come to collect the poll tax
- the peasants refused to pay threatened Bampton with his life
- scared, he rode back to london
- the villagers hid in the woods as they were worried they would be punished for their actions
what happened on 2nd June in Brentwood
- rebels from other villages joined forces
- when the chief justice was sent to the village to the poll tax that Bampton had failed to, the men returned and threatened him with death
- when the chief justice left, the men found Bampton’s clerks and beheaded them
- they set fires to the houses of Bampton’s supporters
