Mr BM Chinchen The London Nautical SchoolYear 7 Medieval Peasants Revolt Class Test Page 1 of 3

The Peasants RevoltName: __________________________________

History Class: _______________

1. Label the people, A, B and C (full names/titles) in the following medieval painting which depicts some of the events of the Peasants Revolt. [6 marks]

2. If you had to give this picture a caption (heading) what would it be? [1 mark]

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3. Fill in the missing words using the following words listed below: [15 marks]

In June 1381TreasurerJack StrawKing Henry IIPoll Tax

Medieval EnglandRichard IIMile EndJack BallCastles

Wat TylerTower of LondonMayor of LondonPunishmentsCanterbury

_______________________ was the main leader of the Peasant Revolt. Other leaders of the Peasant

Revolt included _______________________ and _______________________.

_______________________experienced few revolts but the most serious was the Peasants’ Revolt which

took place _______________________. A violent system of _______________________ for offenders was

usually enough to put off peasants from causing trouble. Most areas in England also had

_______________________ in which soldiers were garrisoned, and these were usually enough to guarantee

reasonable behaviour among medieval peasants. An army of peasants from Kent and Essex marched on

London. They did something no-one had done before or since - they captured the

_______________________. The Archbishop of _______________________ and the King’s

A) _______________________

B) _______________________C) _______________________

Mr BM Chinchen The London Nautical SchoolYear 7 Medieval Peasants Revolt Class Test Page 2 of 3

_______________________ were killed. The king, _______________________, was only 14 at the time but

despite his youth, he agreed to meet the peasants at a place called _______________________.

4. True of False.For each of the following possible causes of the Peasants Revolt write either true or false depending on whether or not you think the statement is a legitimate and realistic cause of the revolt? [5 marks]

A) The revolt was caused by the poll tax which was first levied in 1377 supposedly to finance military campaigns overseas such as the continuation of the Hundred Years' War against France. _______________________.

B) The youth of King Richard II meant that he was dominated by unpopular men, namely John of Gaunt (the acting regent), Simon Sudbury (Archbishop of Canterbury) and Sir Robert Hales (the Lord Treasurer). _______________________.

C) Although the Revolt did not succeed in their aims they did show the nobles that the peasants were angry and dissatisfied. _______________________.

D) After the Black Death, many manors were left short of workers. To encourage those who had survived to stay on their manor, many lords had given the peasants their freedom and paid them to work on their land. Many peasants feared that the lords would take back these privileges and they were prepared to fight for them. _______________________.

E) Many peasants had to work for free on church land (up to two days in the week). This meant that they could not work on their own land. Peasants wanted to be free of this burden that made the church rich but them poor. _______________________.

5. Source Work – Justify and explain your answers by using the sources and what you know.

Source A: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/peasants_revolt.htmOn June 14th, the king met the rebels at Mile End. At this meeting, Richard II gave the peasants all that they asked for and asked that they go home in peace. Some did. Others returned to the city and murdered the archbishop and Treasurer - their heads were cut off on Tower Hill by the Tower of London. Richard II spent the night in hiding in fear of his life. On June 15th, he met the rebels again at Smithfield outside of the city’s walls. It is said that this was the idea of the Lord Mayor who wanted to get the rebels out of the city. Medieval London was wooden and the streets were cramped. Any attempt to put down the rebels in the city could have ended in a fire or the rebels would have found it easy to vanish into the city once they knew that soldiers were after them. At this meeting, the Lord Mayor killed Wat Tyler. We are not sure what happened at this meeting. The death of Tyler and another promise by Richard to give the peasants what they asked for was enough to send them home.

A) Why do you think King Richard II agreed to the peasant’s demands? [2 marks]

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B) How do you think the King reacted to the murders? [2 marks]

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C) Why do you think King Richard II agreed to meet the peasant’s for a second time? [2 marks]

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D) Why do you think we are not sure what happened at this meeting? [2 marks]

Mr BM Chinchen The London Nautical SchoolYear 7 Medieval Peasants Revolt Class Test Page 3 of 3

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