Peasants’ Revolt: causes (AQA GCSE History): Revision Notes
Peasants' revolt: causes
Introduction
In 1381, what began as a local disagreement about tax collection grew into a massive uprising against King Richard II (who ruled from 1377-1399). This became known as the Peasants' Revolt, and understanding why it happened requires examining multiple factors that built up over many years.
The Peasants' Revolt represents one of the first major popular uprisings in English history, marking a significant challenge to the established feudal order and royal authority.
Economic pressures and hardship
The economic situation in 14th-century England created significant stress for ordinary people. Between 1315 and 1320, poor harvests meant food became scarce and expensive. Disease outbreaks also killed large numbers of livestock, making meat and other animal products costly. These economic difficulties forced many peasants to struggle just to survive.
During this period, many peasants stopped providing unpaid feudal service to their local lords, preferring to work for wages elsewhere. This breakdown of the traditional feudal system led to tension and conflict. Some peasants became so frustrated that they attacked manor houses and destroyed important documents and charters that recorded their obligations to their lords.
The Feudal System Under Pressure
The traditional feudal system relied on peasants providing free labour to their lords in exchange for protection and land rights. When peasants began demanding wages instead, this threatened the entire social and economic structure that had dominated mediaeval England for centuries.
The devastating impact of the Black Death
The Black Death arrived in England around 1348 and spread rapidly throughout the country. This deadly plague killed nearly everyone who caught it, and young people were particularly at risk of becoming seriously ill. The disease was so severe that England's population dropped by up to 50%, and some villages were completely abandoned.
Population Catastrophe
The Black Death was the most devastating pandemic in English history. With nearly half the population dead, entire communities disappeared, and the social fabric of mediaeval England was permanently altered.
This massive population decline had unexpected consequences for survivors. With so many people dead, there was a severe shortage of workers. This meant that the wealthy landowners had to offer lower rents and higher wages to attract people to work their land. Many peasants took advantage of this situation by moving away to find better-paid work elsewhere, which pushed wages even higher across the country.
Labor Shortage Benefits
Ironically, the massive death toll created opportunities for survivors. For the first time in centuries, ordinary workers had bargaining power, as lords competed for their services with better pay and conditions.
Government attempts to control the situation
The government tried to address these changes through new laws. In 1351, Parliament passed the Statute of Labourers, which attempted to keep wages at the low levels of 1347 and introduced sumptuary laws that restricted what people could wear based on their social class. These laws were designed to keep peasants in their traditional place in society.
The Statute of Labourers (1351)
This law represented a desperate attempt by the ruling class to maintain the old social order by:
- Freezing wages at pre-plague levels
- Restricting workers' freedom to move between employers
- Controlling what different social classes could wear
- Punishing those who demanded higher wages
Despite Parliament's efforts, the balance of power had fundamentally shifted. By 1376, more than 100 villages had requested copies of the Domesday Book so they could challenge their lords' demands and prove their rights. This shows how peasants were becoming more organised and confident in questioning authority.
Political instability also played a role. Richard II was only 11 years old when he became king in 1377, so his uncle John of Gaunt effectively controlled the government. This created uncertainty and rivalry among the nobility, which divided the government in London and made it appear weak.
Growing Peasant Organization
The fact that over 100 villages actively sought legal documents to challenge their lords demonstrates a remarkable shift in peasant consciousness. No longer passive subjects, they were becoming organised challengers to traditional authority.
The disruption of war
Military conflicts added another layer of problems. In 1377, French forces attacked and burned the town of Rye in Sussex and invaded the Isle of Wight. Regular coastal raids disrupted trade and damaged important ports and towns, which hurt the economy and made life more difficult for ordinary people.
War's Economic Impact
These military attacks weren't just political problems - they had direct economic consequences for ordinary people, disrupting trade routes and destroying property that many communities depended on for their livelihoods.
The burden of taxation
To fund the ongoing war with France, John of Gaunt convinced Parliament to approve a tax of 4 pence per person in 1377. This Poll Tax represented about two days' wages for a labourer, making it much easier for wealthy people to pay than poor ones. The tax was called a "Poll Tax" because it was charged per person rather than per household.
The situation worsened when a second Poll Tax was introduced in 1379, and at least 30% of taxpayers managed to avoid paying by disappearing from tax records. The final straw came in 1381 when a third Poll Tax was imposed, requiring two weeks' wages from each labourer. This tax was extremely unpopular and became the immediate trigger for the revolt.
The Unfairness of Poll Taxes
Unlike taxes based on wealth or property, Poll Taxes charged the same amount to everyone:
- A wealthy lord paid the same 4 pence as a poor peasant
- For a labourer, this represented 2 days' wages
- For a wealthy landowner, this was pocket change
- This created massive resentment among ordinary people who bore a disproportionate burden
Many people suspected that John of Gaunt was planning to seize the throne from his young nephew, and this political suspicion contributed to the growing unrest that would eventually explode into full rebellion.
Understanding causation in history
When historians study events like the Peasants' Revolt, they use the concept of causation to understand why things happened. Causation involves identifying different types of causes that work together to create historical events.
Historical Causation: Analysing the Peasants' Revolt
Long-term causes are conditions that developed over many years before the event. For the Peasants' Revolt, these included:
- Economic hardship from poor harvests (1315-1320)
- The massive social changes caused by the Black Death (from 1348)
- The gradual breakdown of the feudal system
Short-term causes are factors that became important more recently before the event. These included:
- The government's attempts to control wages through the Statute of Labourers
- Political instability caused by having a child king
- Military conflicts and French raids
Triggers are the immediate events that finally caused something to happen, though they're not necessarily the most important causes overall. The third Poll Tax of 1381 served as the trigger that sparked the revolt.
Understanding this framework helps historians avoid oversimplifying complex events and recognises that major historical developments usually result from multiple interconnected factors building up over time.
Timeline of key events
- 1315-1320: Poor harvests and disease outbreaks create economic hardship
- 1348: Black Death arrives in England, killing up to 50% of the population
- 1351: Parliament passes the Statute of Labourers to control wages
- 1376: Over 100 villages request copies of Domesday Book to challenge lords
- 1377: Richard II becomes king at age 11; John of Gaunt takes control; first Poll Tax introduced; French raid Rye and Isle of Wight
- 1379: Second Poll Tax introduced
- 1381: Third Poll Tax sparks the Peasants' Revolt
Key takeaways
Essential Points to Remember:
- The Peasants' Revolt had multiple interconnected causes that built up over decades, not just one simple reason
- The Black Death fundamentally changed English society by creating labour shortages and giving peasants more bargaining power
- Government attempts to maintain the old feudal system through laws like the Statute of Labourers created resentment among ordinary people
- The Poll Taxes of 1377, 1379, and 1381 placed unfair financial burdens on the poor while being easily affordable for the wealthy
- Political instability under the child king Richard II and his unpopular uncle John of Gaunt weakened royal authority and encouraged rebellion
- Understanding causation (long-term causes, short-term causes, and triggers) helps explain why this major uprising occurred when it did