Study Guides

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn about the differing interpretations that exist regarding the causes of the Peasants' Revolt. They will examine the impact of the Black Death on England alongside the short-term causes of the uprising.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain why historians have different interpretations about the causes of the Peasants' Revolt.

Key Notes

• Some historians argue that the Peasants' Revolt was caused by class conflict between the lords and the peasants.
• Evidence for class conflict includes the burning of court rolls by rebels, which recorded their feudal obligations.
• Other historians argue that class conflict over feudalism was not the cause as feudalism was already in decline.
• Instead these historians argue that the Peasants' Revolt was against taxation and growing government power.

Vocabulary To Learn

• class conflict: tensions between different groups (e.g. workers and employers) over who has power
• court rolls: records kept by a lord of payments made to them by their tenants
• feudalism: another term for the feudal system: the system of landholding which bound peasants to a lord in return for land to farm
• interpretation: a particular explanation of something

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• That the main aim of the rebels in the Peasants' Revolt was to overthrow the king.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Richard II and the war in France Study Guide
• The decline of the feudal system Study Guide
• The impact of the Black Death on England Study Guide
• The Peasants' Revolt Study Guide
• The Statute of Labourers and the response to the Black Death Study Guide