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Revolt Of 1381 Research Paper

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The Peasants' Revolt of 1381 was an important uprising in much of England during the medieval time period. It is also known as Wat Tyler's Rebellion and The Great Rising. It was one of the first popular uprisings in England, and over very important issues. The feudal system, serfdom, the Statue of Laborers (originally spelled Labourers), little to no pay, tithes, poll tax, and the general unfairness of the time led to tensions, and action being taken. The feudal system did not have balance, and left much of the population unhappy.
The king was at the top. He was in complete control, owning all of the land in the country, and only gave out land to his trustees. Next were the barons, who had manors. They lived on the king's land, but were …show more content…

The word 'serf' comes from the Latin word servus, which means slave.(New World Encyclopedia) Serfs would swear an oath of loyalty to whoever they worked for, which meant that they were also bound to whoever their liege was sworn to. A serf would farm, but they also had other occupations, such as blacksmiths or miller. Additionally, a serf was considered part of the land they worked, so when the land was sold, the serf went with it. Much like how knights fought for their land, the serfs worked for protection, providing for the knights. The serfs got paid the least, fed the least, but they did get their own land, unlike slaves. The Statue of Laborers was created by England during the reign of King Edward III. This law was created to clamp down on labor but prohibiting wage increases, and outlawing worker movement in search of better conditions. Unfortunately for England, the law did not take into account the Black Death. Wages were terrible at the time, and the statute couldn't be enforced, and was …show more content…

John Bampton, an English churchman, was sent to check on why the poll tax wasn't being paid. The villagers were armed, and organized. He asked one village representative, Thomas Baker, why the tax had not been paid. Baker claimed that the tax had already been paid by the village and that no money was owed. Baker was then to be arrested, and the villagers got violent. News of the revolt spread quickly in the area. Several groups of revolting peasants travelled around, village to village, spreading the word. A leader came out among the rebels, names Wat Tyler. Eventually, they began to march to London. When they got there, they wreaked havoc. They ransacked parts of the city, burning some along the way. King Richard decided to meet with the rebels, out of the city. Here, rebel leader Wat Tyler told the peasants' terms to the king. He said that price of living was to be reduced. Also, the poll tax to be removed, there were to be pardons for all rebel, and that peasants would have rights and privileges. While this happened, a group of peasants took advantage of the situation. They raided the Tower of London and beheaded some people there. The king could not let that go by unanswered. Another meeting was arranged, with just Wat Tyler and a few of his closer followers, and the king with some of his men. Wat Tyler was killed here, after purportedly disrespecting the king, but his death seems to be something not all

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