Home Learning: The Peasants' Revolt

Subject: History | Year: 7

Estimated Time: 30-40 Minutes Name: _________________________ Class/Set: ____________ Due Date: ____________

The Purpose

Why are we doing this? To consolidate your understanding of why the peasants revolted in 1381 by applying historical facts to a first-person perspective.

Instructions

1. Review: Re-read your class notes on the causes of the Peasants' Revolt. Focus on the impact of the Black Death, the Statute of Labourers (1351), and the introduction of the Poll Tax.

2. Draft: Imagine you are a peasant living in Essex in May 1381. You have just heard that the King’s tax collectors are coming to your village. Write a 'List of Grievances' (complaints) that you intend to present to King Richard II.

3. Explain: For every complaint you list, you must include one 'Point' and one piece of 'Evidence'.

   • Point: State what you want to change (e.g., "We want the Poll Tax abolished").
   • Evidence: State the historical reason why this is a problem (e.g., "Because we have already paid it three times in four years and cannot afford food").

4. Summarise: Write one final paragraph explaining why the Black Death made you feel more powerful and more willing to stand up to the Lords and the King.

Success Criteria (Checklist)

☐ I have identified at least three distinct causes for the revolt.

☐ I have used historical Tier 3 vocabulary such as 'Poll Tax', 'Serfdom', and 'Statute of Labourers'.

☐ I have used the Point and Evidence structure for my list of grievances.

☐ I have explained how the labour shortage after the Black Death changed peasant attitudes.

Challenge / Extension (Optional)

• Research: Find out who John Ball was and why his famous question—"When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?"—was considered so dangerous by the medieval Church and the nobility. Write two sentences explaining his message.

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⚠ TEACHER’S GUIDANCE & MARK SCHEME (DO NOT PRINT FOR STUDENTS)

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Teacher’s Post-Task Briefing 💡

1. Model Answers / Expected Outcomes

• Grievance 1 (Poll Tax): Point: The Third Poll Tax of 1381 must be cancelled. Evidence: It is a flat-rate tax where the poor pay the same as the rich (1 shilling — equivalent to three groats or 12 pence), which is unfair during a period of economic hardship.
• Grievance 2 (Serfdom/Feudal System): Point: All men should be free and serfdom should be abolished. Evidence: Since the Black Death, there are fewer workers, meaning our labour is more valuable; we should be able to work for whoever pays the best wages.
• Grievance 3 (Statute of Labourers): Point: The law capping our wages must be removed. Evidence: The 1351 Statute of Labourers stopped us from asking for higher pay despite the shortage of workers, keeping us in poverty while the Lords stay wealthy.
• Summary Paragraph: Students should recognise that the 'Great Mortality' (Black Death) killed roughly 30–50% of the population. This created a 'seller's market' for labour. For the first time, peasants realised they had leverage because the land could not be farmed without them.

2. Common Misconceptions to Flag 🚩

• The King as the Enemy: Year 7 students often assume the peasants hated King Richard II from the start. In reality, many rebels believed the King was being misled by "evil councillors" like John of Gaunt and Archbishop Simon Sudbury. Their anger was often directed at these advisors rather than the monarchy itself.
• Immediate Success: Students may think the revolt "won" because Richard II promised to end serfdom at Mile End. Remind them that once the threat was gone, the King revoked all promises and the leaders (Wat Tyler, John Ball) were executed.

3. Classroom Discussion Starters (The 'Journey') 🗣️

• The Power Balance: "If a similar catastrophe to the Black Death happened today, which jobs would suddenly become the most powerful and why?"
• Success vs. Failure: "The revolt was crushed and the leaders killed. Can we still call the Peasants' Revolt a 'success' in the long term?" (Link to the eventual decline of the feudal system).