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The Black Death and the Peasants' Revolt
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A terrible plague swept across Europe in the 1340s. In England it changed the lives of the people who survived.
The Black Death arrives
The Black Death reached England in 1348, probably through a port in Dorset.
Symptoms included painful swellings called buboes, fever and black blotches on the skin. Most victims died within days.
It killed between a third and a half of England's people. Medieval people blamed God's anger, bad air (miasma) or the stars. Today we know it was a disease spread mainly by fleas on rats, and between people.
Symptoms included painful swellings called buboes, fever and black blotches on the skin. Most victims died within days.
It killed between a third and a half of England's people. Medieval people blamed God's anger, bad air (miasma) or the stars. Today we know it was a disease spread mainly by fleas on rats, and between people.
A changed world
With so many dead, there were not enough peasants to work the land.
Survivors demanded higher wages or moved to find better pay.
The government passed the Statute of Labourers in 1351 to keep wages at the old levels. Peasants were angry.
Survivors demanded higher wages or moved to find better pay.
The government passed the Statute of Labourers in 1351 to keep wages at the old levels. Peasants were angry.
The Peasants' Revolt, 1381
In 1377, 1379 and 1380 the government raised a poll tax, a tax on every person, to pay for war with France.
In 1381 peasants from Essex and Kent marched on London, led by Wat Tyler and the priest John Ball. They burned buildings and killed some royal officials.
The young King Richard II, aged 14, met them. At Smithfield, Wat Tyler was killed. Richard promised changes, then broke his promises, and leaders were executed. But no more poll taxes were tried for a long time, and villeinage slowly died out.
In 1381 peasants from Essex and Kent marched on London, led by Wat Tyler and the priest John Ball. They burned buildings and killed some royal officials.
The young King Richard II, aged 14, met them. At Smithfield, Wat Tyler was killed. Richard promised changes, then broke his promises, and leaders were executed. But no more poll taxes were tried for a long time, and villeinage slowly died out.
Explain why the Peasants' Revolt broke out in 1381.
- After the Black Death peasants knew their work was valuable.
- The Statute of Labourers tried to keep wages low, which angered them.
- The poll tax of 1380 was the final trigger.
Answer: Long-term anger about wages after the Black Death, triggered by the poll tax.
The Black Death (1348) killed a third to a half of England's people. Labour shortages pushed wages up; the Statute of Labourers (1351) tried to stop this. The poll tax triggered the Peasants' Revolt (1381), led by Wat Tyler; Richard II was 14.
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