Why were the Why were the peasants peasants revolting?revolting?

WilfsWilfs

To identify 3 reasons why the To identify 3 reasons why the Peasants were angryPeasants were angry

To explain why they revolted in a To explain why they revolted in a reportreport

To evaluate the importance of the To evaluate the importance of the revolt and decide if it will change revolt and decide if it will change thingsthings

starter activity

What do you think is happening here and why?

Your taskYour task

Read p. 75 and complete a table similar to Read p. 75 and complete a table similar to the one below.the one below.

Reason Explanation (1-Explanation (1-5)5)

WarWar

ReligionReligion

GovernmenGovernmentt

MoneyMoney

RightsRights

Rate the danger!Long termor short termproblem?

CausesCauses War:War: - England at war with - England at war with

France for 50 years, threat France for 50 years, threat of invasion (LT)of invasion (LT)

Religion:Religion: John Ball & John Ball & Lollards, everyone is equal, Lollards, everyone is equal, Bible in English (ST)Bible in English (ST)

Government:Government: Richard II, Richard II, 10 years of age, 10 years of age, dependent on advisers dependent on advisers (ST)(ST)

Money:Money: Statute of Statute of Labourers, 1351, pay Labourers, 1351, pay limited to 2d a day; King’s limited to 2d a day; King’s commissioners collecting commissioners collecting tax; poll tax, people over tax; poll tax, people over 15 pad 4d (ST)15 pad 4d (ST)

Rights:Rights: villeins not free villeins not free (LT)(LT)

Which of these

would be most likely to cause a

fight? Why?

Your taskYour task

Create a timeline highlighting the Create a timeline highlighting the key events of the Peasants’ Revolt key events of the Peasants’ Revolt Use page 76 and 78. Find out what Use page 76 and 78. Find out what happened on these dates:happened on these dates:

May 1381 in Essex & KentMay 1381 in Essex & Kent Thursday 13Thursday 13thth June June Friday 14Friday 14thth June June Saturday 15Saturday 15thth June June

May 1381May 1381 King’s commissioners attacked (Fobbing, King’s commissioners attacked (Fobbing,

Essex) collecting poll tax - heads put on Essex) collecting poll tax - heads put on poles and paraded around nearby villages.poles and paraded around nearby villages.

May 1381May 1381

1000s of peasants meet in 1000s of peasants meet in Maidstone, Wat Tyler (former soldier) Maidstone, Wat Tyler (former soldier) appointed leader, takes Rochester appointed leader, takes Rochester Castle & frees John BallCastle & frees John Ball..

Rochester Castle

John Ball

Thursday 13 June 1381Thursday 13 June 1381 Peasants enter London, destroy houses of Peasants enter London, destroy houses of

King’s supporters e.g. Savoy Palace, home King’s supporters e.g. Savoy Palace, home of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster as well of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster as well as lawyers & foreign merchantsas lawyers & foreign merchants

Treasurer Hales & Archbishop Sudbury Treasurer Hales & Archbishop Sudbury hide in Tower of Londonhide in Tower of London

Friday 14 June 1381Friday 14 June 1381 Richard meets rebels Richard meets rebels

at Mile End, agrees to at Mile End, agrees to abolish poll tax and abolish poll tax and grant free pardonsgrant free pardons

Peasants break into Peasants break into Tower of London, Tower of London, capture Sudbury & capture Sudbury & Hales and cut off their Hales and cut off their head (Sudbury’s takes head (Sudbury’s takes 8 blows!)8 blows!)Sudbury’s decapitated

head, preserved in a parish church

Saturday 15 JuneSaturday 15 June King meets rebels at King meets rebels at

SmithfieldSmithfield Wat Tyler killed under Wat Tyler killed under

mysterious circumstancesmysterious circumstances King called out - ‘You King called out - ‘You

shall have no captain but shall have no captain but me!’me!’

Peasant leaders are Peasant leaders are rounded up and hanged.rounded up and hanged.

What happened to Tyler? – What happened to Tyler? – solve the puzzlesolve the puzzle

Look at the different accounts or Look at the different accounts or chronicleschronicles

Complete the table as per page 81 in Complete the table as per page 81 in groupsgroups

Then work out the most likely Then work out the most likely sequence of events to explain Tyler's sequence of events to explain Tyler's deathdeath

Be able to use evidence to support Be able to use evidence to support your theoryyour theory

Your taskYour task

Imagine it is 16Imagine it is 16thth June 1381. Produce a June 1381. Produce a report for or write a letter to King report for or write a letter to King Richard II. He wants to know why the Richard II. He wants to know why the peasants were so angry they revolted:peasants were so angry they revolted:

Include all the reasons – long term and Include all the reasons – long term and short termshort term

Explain them in order of importanceExplain them in order of importance If you like you could group the reasons If you like you could group the reasons

into categories – Power, Religion, into categories – Power, Religion, MoneyMoney

CONSOLIDATIONCONSOLIDATION To help you to write your report or To help you to write your report or

letter to Richard II, in pairs complete letter to Richard II, in pairs complete the diamond 9 activity arranging the the diamond 9 activity arranging the causes in order of importancecauses in order of importance

Compare your diamond to another Compare your diamond to another group and be prepared to justify your group and be prepared to justify your choiceschoices

Do you want to change anything?Do you want to change anything? You can also group the cards into long You can also group the cards into long

and short term causes or into and short term causes or into categories – Power, Religion and Moneycategories – Power, Religion and Money

WilfsWilfs

To identify 3 reasons why the To identify 3 reasons why the Peasants were angryPeasants were angry

To explain why they revolted in a To explain why they revolted in a reportreport

To evaluate the importance of the To evaluate the importance of the revolt and decide if it will change revolt and decide if it will change thingsthings

So why did the peasants So why did the peasants revolt?revolt?

Some peasants were free, but a lot were Some peasants were free, but a lot were still villeins. still villeins.

The Black DeathThe Black Death Statute of Labourers 1351.Statute of Labourers 1351. Ongoing war with France since 1369.Ongoing war with France since 1369. Peasants had to work for free on church Peasants had to work for free on church

land, this meant the church was getting land, this meant the church was getting richer and the peasants had less time to richer and the peasants had less time to farm their own land. John Ball the priest farm their own land. John Ball the priest supported them on this.supported them on this.

-Or triggers!

The final straw for the peasants was the introduction of the third poll tax in 1381! Peasants hated the poll tax as it meant they had to pay the same amount as the rich people.

When the peasants in one small village refused to pay the King sent men to their village to collect it.

The kings men were thrown out by the angry villagers, not even the kings army could stop them!

You need to write a report or letter to the young King Richard II.

In this letter YOU MUST answer this question:

WHY WERE THE PEASANTS REVOLTING?

You need to write your letter in a clear and organised way.

It is a chance for you to show off your historical knowledge and understanding.

Level 4 Level 5 Level 6

Some structure

Answer with little

or no evidence.

Use paragraphs

structure

Explain key events and support with evidence.

Same as level five, but you need to explain why you have used it.

Make your POINT.

Give an EXAMPLE, use evidence to support your point.

EXPLAIN why your example is important.

Try to LINK your paragraphs together.

WilfsWilfs

To identify 3 reasons why the To identify 3 reasons why the Peasants were angryPeasants were angry

To explain why they revolted in a To explain why they revolted in a reportreport

To evaluate the importance of the To evaluate the importance of the revolt and decide if it will change revolt and decide if it will change thingsthings