The Black Death and the Peasants' Revolt: KS3 History Study Pack

1. Introduction

In the fourteenth century, medieval England faced two huge shocks.

The first was the Black Death, a deadly pandemic that reached England in 1348. It killed a very large part of the population. Historians often estimate that between one third and one half of people in England died, though exact figures are difficult because medieval records are incomplete.

The second was the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, when thousands of ordinary people marched to London and challenged the government of the young king, Richard II. They protested against unfair taxes, harsh laws controlling wages, and the limits of villeinage.

These events were linked. The Black Death created a labour shortage. Fewer workers meant many peasants could ask for higher wages or better conditions. Landowners and the government tried to stop this with laws such as the Statute of Labourers. Over time, resentment grew. By 1381, new taxes, social anger and religious ideas helped cause a major revolt.

This study pack helps you understand:

• what the Black Death was and how it spread
• how medieval people explained and tried to treat disease
• how population loss changed work, wages and power
• why the Peasants' Revolt happened
• what Wat Tyler, John Ball and Richard II did in 1381
• whether the Black Death and the revolt were turning points in medieval England

This topic is not only about suffering and protest. It is also about change and continuity: what changed after the Black Death, what stayed the same, and why change could be slow.

2. Key Definitions

Word	Meaning
Plague	A serious infectious disease. The Black Death was a form of plague.
Pandemic	A disease outbreak that spreads across many countries or continents.
Black Death	The name often used for the plague pandemic that reached Europe in the mid-fourteenth century and England in 1348.
Miasma	A medieval explanation that disease came from bad or poisoned air.
Astrology	The study of the stars and planets, which some medieval people believed affected health and events on Earth.
Poison rumours	False claims that certain groups had poisoned wells or food. These rumours could lead to persecution.
Labour shortage	A lack of available workers. After the Black Death, there were fewer people to farm land and do other jobs.
Wage	Money paid to a worker for their labour.
Statute of Labourers	A 1351 law that tried to stop wages rising and force workers to accept old pay levels.
Poll tax	A tax charged per person, rather than on land or income. Poll taxes helped cause the 1381 revolt.
Revolt	An organised challenge or uprising against authority.
Villein	An unfree peasant tied to a manor, owing labour and payments to a lord.
Villeinage	The system in which villeins were legally unfree and had duties to their lord.
Manor	A lord's estate, usually including villages, farmland and a manor court.
Lord	A powerful landowner with rights over land and people on a manor.
Serfdom	Another term often used for unfree peasant status, similar to villeinage.
Consequence	A result or effect of an event.
Short-term	Happening soon after an event.
Long-term	Happening over a longer period of time.
Cause	A reason why something happened.
Interpretation	A historian's or writer's explanation of the past. Interpretations can differ.

3. Timeline / Chronology

Date	Event	Why it matters
1347	Plague reached parts of Europe, including ports in the Mediterranean.	Trade routes helped disease spread over long distances.
1348	The Black Death arrived in England, probably through southern ports such as Melcombe Regis in Dorset.	This began a major crisis in England.
1348-1349	Plague spread through much of England.	Huge population loss affected families, villages, towns and work.
1349	Government rules tried to stop workers demanding higher wages.	This showed landowners feared losing control over labour.
1351	The Statute of Labourers was passed.	It tried to fix wages at pre-plague levels and punish workers who moved for better pay.
1360s-1370s	Further plague outbreaks happened.	Population recovery was slow, so labour remained scarce.
1377	A poll tax was introduced under Richard II's government.	The government needed money, especially for war with France.
1379	Another poll tax was introduced.	Taxes increased pressure on ordinary people.
1380	A third poll tax was introduced.	This tax was very unpopular and helped trigger revolt.
May 1381	Resistance to tax collection broke out in Essex and Kent.	Local anger turned into wider protest.
June 1381	Rebels marched to London.	The revolt became a national political crisis.
14 June 1381	Richard II met rebels at Mile End and appeared to agree to some demands.	Rebels hoped villeinage and harsh controls would end.
15 June 1381	Wat Tyler was killed at Smithfield.	The revolt lost one of its key leaders.
Late June 1381	The government crushed remaining revolts and cancelled promises.	The revolt failed in the short term.
Later 1300s-1400s	Villeinage declined in many areas.	Long-term economic changes weakened old feudal controls.

Simple chronology line

1348 Black Death arrives -> 1348-49 many deaths -> fewer workers -> wages rise -> 1351 Statute of Labourers -> resentment grows -> 1377, 1379, 1380 poll taxes -> 1381 Peasants' Revolt -> short-term defeat -> long-term decline of villeinage

4. Core Knowledge Sections

4.1 Medieval England before the Black Death

Before the Black Death, most people in England lived in the countryside. Society was unequal and hierarchical.

At the top were the king, nobles and senior Church leaders. Below them were knights, local officials and wealthier landholders. Most people were peasants. Some peasants were free, but many were villeins, meaning they were legally tied to a manor.

A villein usually had to:

• work on the lord's land for part of the week
• pay rent or give goods to the lord
• use the lord's mill, oven or court
• ask permission to leave the manor or marry outside it

This did not mean all peasants had identical lives. Some were very poor. Some had more land and status. Some had useful skills. Medieval society was varied, and this matters when studying the Peasants' Revolt. Rebels were not one single group with one single motive.

4.2 What was the Black Death?

The Black Death was a pandemic that reached England in 1348. It was part of a wider outbreak across Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe.

Modern historians and scientists usually link the Black Death to plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It could spread in different ways, including through fleas living on rodents, and possibly through human-to-human transmission in some forms of the disease. At KS3 level, it is enough to know that it was highly infectious in crowded conditions and that medieval people did not understand bacteria.

The term "Black Death" was not the usual name used by English people at the time. Medieval writers often called it the "great pestilence" or "great mortality". The later name helps modern people identify the pandemic, but we should remember it is a later label.

4.3 Symptoms and spread

Symptoms described in medieval accounts included:

• fever
• painful swellings, sometimes called buboes
• weakness
• vomiting
• dark marks or blotches on the skin in some cases
• death within a short time for many victims

Not every account is medically precise. Some writers described what they had heard rather than what they personally saw. Source evidence can show fear and confusion, but it must be used carefully.

The disease spread quickly because:

• trade connected ports and towns
• people lived close together in towns
• hygiene was limited by modern standards
• people did not understand bacteria or fleas
• families, carers and priests often had close contact with the sick
• movement along roads, rivers and sea routes helped infection travel

4.4 Spread timeline and map sketch

This is a simplified sketch. It is not a precise map.

Asia and Black Sea routes | v Mediterranean ports, 1347 | v France and western Europe | v South coast of England, 1348 | v London and southern England | v Midlands, north and wider Britain, 1349

Key point: the Black Death did not arrive everywhere on the same day. It spread in waves through travel, trade and contact.

4.5 Medieval explanations for the Black Death

Medieval people tried to explain the Black Death using the knowledge and beliefs available to them. It is a mistake to say they were "stupid". They did not have microscopes or modern germ theory, but they used religious, medical and environmental ideas that seemed reasonable within their world.

Common explanations included:

• Religion: many Christians believed plague might be a punishment from God for sin.
• Miasma: many people believed bad air, rotting matter or foul smells could cause disease.
• Astrology: some educated doctors believed the position of planets could affect health.
• Imbalance of humours: medieval medicine often explained illness through imbalance in the body's fluids.
• Poison rumours: in parts of Europe, some people falsely blamed minority groups for poisoning wells. These rumours were dangerous and led to persecution, especially against Jewish communities in some places.

We must distinguish between:

• the modern cause of plague: infection by bacteria
• medieval explanations: the ideas people used at the time to make sense of disease
• consequences: what happened afterwards, such as labour shortages

4.6 Treatments and preventions

Medieval treatments and preventions varied. Some were based on religious belief, some on learned medicine, and some on practical attempts to avoid infection.

Treatment or prevention	What people hoped it would do	How historians should judge it
Prayer and processions	Ask God for mercy and protection.	Important for understanding belief; not a modern medical cure.
Confession and repentance	Remove sin and prepare spiritually.	Shows how religion shaped responses to crisis.
Burning herbs or sweet-smelling plants	Clean bad air or protect from miasma.	Based on miasma theory; smells did not remove bacteria.
Carrying posies or scented bags	Avoid foul air.	Shows concern about air and smell.
Bloodletting	Restore balance to the body's humours.	Could weaken patients; based on medieval medical theory.
Lancing buboes	Drain swellings.	Risky without modern hygiene; sometimes attempted by surgeons.
Avoiding infected places	Reduce contact with disease.	Could help if it reduced exposure, though people did not know the modern reason.
Quarantine-like isolation	Keep sick people apart.	More useful in principle, but difficult to enforce consistently.

4.7 Population loss and labour shortage

The Black Death killed so many people that England's population fell sharply. This had major economic consequences.

Before the plague, landowners usually had many workers available. After the plague, there were fewer workers. Land still needed ploughing, harvesting, repairing and managing. This meant labour became more valuable.

Some workers used this situation to:

• ask for higher wages
• move to places offering better pay
• refuse unpaid labour services
• negotiate lower rents
• gain more freedom from manorial control

This did not happen equally everywhere. Some lords were stricter than others. Some peasants gained more than others. But overall, the shortage of labour weakened the power of many landowners.

4.8 Labour shortage cause-consequence chain

Black Death kills many people | v Population falls sharply | v Fewer workers available | v Landowners compete for labour | v Workers ask for higher wages or better conditions | v Government and landowners try to control wages | v Resentment grows among workers and peasants | v Long-term weakening of villeinage in many areas

4.9 The Statute of Labourers

In 1351, the government passed the Statute of Labourers. This law tried to deal with the labour shortage by controlling workers.

It aimed to:

• keep wages at pre-plague levels
• stop workers moving freely to find better pay
• punish employers who offered higher wages
• punish workers who refused work at old rates

The law shows that the ruling classes were worried. If workers could bargain for higher wages, the old social order might weaken.

However, passing a law did not mean it worked perfectly. Many workers still found ways to negotiate. Local officials might enforce the law unevenly. The Statute of Labourers is important because it shows a conflict between economic reality and government control.

4.10 Poll taxes and Richard II

By the late fourteenth century, England was involved in expensive conflict with France, often called part of the Hundred Years' War. The government needed money.

Richard II became king in 1377 when he was still a child. Because he was young, powerful nobles and advisers helped govern. To raise money, the government used poll taxes in 1377, 1379 and 1380.

A poll tax charged people per head. This could feel unfair because poorer people might pay a similar amount to richer people, depending on the version of the tax. The 1380 poll tax was especially unpopular. Tax collectors were sent to investigate people who had not paid. This caused anger in local communities.

The poll tax was not the only cause of the revolt, but it was a major trigger.

4.11 Causes of the Peasants' Revolt

The Peasants' Revolt had several causes. Strong answers should group them, not just list them.

Economic causes

• The Black Death created a labour shortage.
• Workers wanted higher wages.
• The Statute of Labourers tried to limit wages.
• Peasants disliked being forced to work for old rates.
• Poll taxes placed extra pressure on ordinary households.

Social causes

• Villeins resented being unfree.
• Some peasants felt their work had become more valuable after the Black Death.
• There was anger at landlords and local officials.
• Social expectations were changing, but the legal system still protected lordly power.

Political causes

• Richard II's government was seen as wasteful and unfair by some people.
• The war with France created pressure for taxation.
• Tax collection could be harsh and intrusive.
• Rebels targeted royal advisers and officials they blamed for bad government.

Religious and ideological causes

• Some preachers criticised inequality.
• John Ball argued that social hierarchy was unjust.
• Ideas about Christian equality could encourage people to question why some were lords and others were villeins.

John Ball is often linked to the idea that all people were equal before God. We must be careful with exact wording because famous phrases can be repeated later in different forms. The key point is that Ball's preaching challenged the fairness of social inequality.

4.12 Events of the Peasants' Revolt, 1381

The revolt began with resistance to tax collection, especially in Essex and Kent. It spread quickly.

Important events included:

• Tax collectors faced resistance in Essex.
• Rebels in Kent gathered and released prisoners.
• Wat Tyler became a major leader of the Kentish rebels.
• Rebels marched towards London.
• Some Londoners opened the gates to them.
• Rebels attacked symbols of royal government and unpopular authority.
• Richard II met rebels at Mile End on 14 June 1381.
• The king appeared to agree to demands, including ending villeinage.
• Some rebels went home believing they had won.
• Wat Tyler met the king again at Smithfield on 15 June.
• Tyler was killed during the meeting.
• Richard II took control of the crowd and promised leadership.
• The government later crushed remaining revolts and cancelled the king's promises.

4.13 Peasants' Revolt timeline

May 1381

• Resistance to poll tax collection grows in Essex.
• Anger spreads into Kent and other areas.

Early June 1381

• Groups of rebels gather.
• Wat Tyler becomes an important leader in Kent.
• Rebels move towards London.

13 June 1381

• Rebels enter London.
• Some buildings linked to royal government and unpopular officials are attacked.

14 June 1381

• Richard II meets rebels at Mile End.
• He appears to agree to demands such as ending villeinage.
• Some rebels leave London.

15 June 1381

• Richard II meets Wat Tyler and rebels at Smithfield.
• Wat Tyler is killed.
• Richard speaks to the crowd and the revolt begins to lose direction.

After 15 June 1381

• Royal forces regain control.
• Rebel leaders are punished.
• Promises made to rebels are withdrawn.

4.14 Wat Tyler, John Ball and Richard II

Wat Tyler was a leader of the Kentish rebels. He helped organise the march to London and presented demands to the king. His death at Smithfield was a turning point because the rebels lost a key leader at a critical moment.

John Ball was a radical preacher. He criticised social inequality and encouraged people to question why some people had power over others. He became a symbol of the revolt's religious and social ideas.

Richard II was the young king. He was about fourteen during the revolt. His meetings with the rebels were risky but politically important. At Mile End, he appeared to make promises. After Tyler's death, he helped calm the crowd. Later, his government withdrew the promises and punished rebels.

4.15 What did the rebels want?

Rebels did not all want exactly the same things. Their demands included:

• an end to villeinage
• lower rents
• freedom to work for wages
• punishment of unpopular royal advisers
• fairer government
• an end to harsh labour laws
• changes to Church wealth or authority in some cases

This variety is important. A strong historical answer avoids treating "the peasants" as if they were all identical.

4.16 Consequences of the Peasants' Revolt

Short-term consequences

In the short term, the Peasants' Revolt failed.

• Wat Tyler was killed.
• John Ball and other leaders were executed.
• The king's promises were cancelled.
• Villeinage was not immediately abolished.
• The government restored control.

Long-term consequences

In the long term, the picture is more complicated.

• Villeinage continued to decline in many areas.
• Lords increasingly accepted money rents instead of labour services.
• Workers' bargaining power remained stronger than before the Black Death.
• Governments were reminded that taxation could provoke resistance.
• The revolt became an important example of popular protest.

Historians debate how much the revolt itself caused long-term change. Some argue it was a turning point because it frightened the ruling classes and showed peasant anger. Others argue that economic changes caused by the Black Death mattered more than the revolt itself.

4.17 Did the Black Death change society?

The Black Death changed medieval England in important ways, but it did not transform everything immediately.

It changed:

• population levels
• wages and bargaining power
• the relationship between workers and landowners
• attitudes towards labour
• some religious and social behaviour
• demand for land

It did not immediately end:

• monarchy
• social hierarchy
• the power of nobles
• the importance of the Church
• all poverty or hardship
• all forms of villeinage

The best judgement is balanced. The Black Death was a major turning point because it weakened the old labour system, but many changes took decades or more.

5. People, Places and Events

Person, place or event	Who or what?	Significance
Black Death	Pandemic reaching England in 1348.	Caused huge population loss and helped change labour relations.
Melcombe Regis	A port in Dorset often linked to the plague's arrival in England.	Shows the importance of trade routes and ports.
London	England's largest city and political centre.	Plague spread there; rebels entered London in 1381.
Richard II	King of England from 1377.	Faced the Peasants' Revolt as a young king.
Wat Tyler	Rebel leader from Kent.	Led rebels in London; killed at Smithfield.
John Ball	Radical preacher.	Spread ideas criticising inequality and villeinage.
Statute of Labourers	Law passed in 1351.	Tried to keep wages low after the Black Death.
Poll taxes	Taxes charged per person in 1377, 1379 and 1380.	Helped trigger the 1381 revolt.
Mile End	Place where Richard II met rebels on 14 June 1381.	The king appeared to agree to major demands.
Smithfield	Place where Richard II met Wat Tyler on 15 June 1381.	Tyler was killed and the revolt lost momentum.
Villeinage	System tying unfree peasants to manors.	A major target of rebel anger.

6. Sources and Evidence

Historians use different types of evidence to study the Black Death and Peasants' Revolt:

• chronicles written by monks or clerks
• manor court records
• tax records
• laws and government orders
• wills and parish records
• later histories and interpretations
• archaeological evidence from cemeteries

Every source has strengths and limits. A chronicle may describe fear vividly, but it may exaggerate or reflect the writer's religious views. A tax record may show population change, but it may miss people who avoided tax or were not recorded.

Source A: Medieval explanation extract

This is an invented, historically plausible extract based on common medieval ideas. It is not a real quotation.

"In this year a great sickness came among the people. Many said the air had become corrupted and foul. Others feared that God was angry because of sin. Physicians advised people to avoid bad smells and crowded places, and priests called the people to prayer."

Questions

1. What two explanations for disease does Source A mention?
2. What does the source suggest about fear during the Black Death?
3. Use one phrase from the source as evidence for your answer.
4. How useful is this source for learning about medieval beliefs?
5. What limitation does the source have?

Guidance

Strong answers should say that the source is useful for beliefs, not for proving the modern medical cause of plague. It shows ideas about miasma and religion, but it is an invented extract and does not give precise details about one real person's experience.

Source B: Symptom and treatment table

Symptom described	Possible medieval response	What it tells historians
Fever	Rest, prayer, cooling remedies	People connected illness with bodily imbalance and spiritual danger.
Swellings	Lancing or applying poultices	Some treatments were physical and practical.
Bad smells nearby	Burning herbs or carrying flowers	Miasma theory influenced behaviour.
Sudden deaths	Confession and burial rites	Religion shaped how communities responded.

Questions

1. Which response was linked to miasma theory?
2. Which responses show the importance of religion?
3. Why must historians be careful when using symptom descriptions?
4. Explain one way medieval treatment was based on the knowledge available at the time.

Source C: Labour shortage record

This is an invented, historically plausible manor note. It is not a real quotation.

"The tenants are fewer than before, and several servants will not work unless they receive greater payment. The lord's fields stand partly untilled, and men from nearby villages seek work where wages are better."

Questions

1. What problem is the lord facing?
2. What evidence shows workers had more bargaining power?
3. How does this source help explain the Statute of Labourers?
4. What might be missing from this source if it was written for a lord?

Source D: Interpretation debate

Interpretation 1: "The Peasants' Revolt was a failure. The rebels were defeated, their leaders were punished, and the king cancelled his promises."

Interpretation 2: "The Peasants' Revolt was a turning point. It showed that ordinary people could challenge unfair government, and villeinage continued to weaken afterwards."

Questions

1. Which interpretation focuses on short-term results?
2. Which interpretation focuses on long-term significance?
3. Give one piece of evidence that supports Interpretation 1.
4. Give one piece of evidence that supports Interpretation 2.
5. Which interpretation do you find more convincing? Explain your judgement.

7. Interpretations

Historians do not always agree about the meaning of the Black Death and Peasants' Revolt. This is because they ask different questions and use evidence in different ways.

Interpretation question 1: Was the Black Death the main cause of change?

Some historians emphasise the Black Death as a major turning point. They argue that population loss made labour scarce, increased wages and weakened villeinage.

Other historians warn that change was uneven and slow. They point out that lords, courts and governments still held power. Laws such as the Statute of Labourers show that the ruling classes fought to preserve the old order.

A balanced view:

• The Black Death created the conditions for change.
• The government and landowners tried to resist change.
• The long-term decline of villeinage depended on both population loss and continued negotiation by workers.

Interpretation question 2: Did the Peasants' Revolt fail?

In the short term, yes. Rebel leaders were killed or executed, and the king withdrew promises.

In the long term, the answer is more debated. The revolt did not instantly end villeinage, but it revealed deep anger and may have made rulers more cautious. It also became a powerful example of ordinary people challenging authority.

Interpretation question 3: Were medieval medical ideas simply wrong?

Modern science shows that plague was not caused by bad air, astrology or sin. However, historians should not mock medieval people. They worked with the ideas, religious beliefs and medical knowledge of their own time.

Some actions, such as avoiding infected places, could reduce risk even if people did not understand bacteria. Other actions, such as persecuting minorities because of poison rumours, were harmful and based on false beliefs.

8. Tables

Causes of the Peasants' Revolt

Type of cause	Example	Link to revolt
Economic	Labour shortage after the Black Death	Workers expected better wages and conditions.
Economic	Statute of Labourers	The law tried to stop wage rises.
Economic	Poll taxes	Extra taxes angered ordinary people.
Social	Villeinage	Unfree peasants wanted freedom from lordly control.
Political	Unpopular royal advisers	Rebels blamed officials for bad government.
Religious	John Ball's preaching	Ideas about equality challenged hierarchy.
Local	Harsh tax collection	Immediate trigger in some communities.

Symptoms, explanations and responses

Issue	Medieval view	Modern historical comment
Fever and swellings	Sign of serious pestilence.	Likely symptoms of plague in many cases.
Bad air	Miasma could cause disease.	Incorrect as a full explanation, but smell was linked to poor sanitation.
Sin	God might be punishing society.	Shows the central role of religion.
Planetary alignment	Stars and planets affected health.	Educated medicine often included astrology.
Prayer	Spiritual protection or repentance.	Important for understanding medieval responses.
Isolation	Avoiding infected people or places.	Could reduce spread in some situations.

Short-term and long-term consequences

Event	Short-term consequence	Long-term consequence
Black Death	Death, fear, labour shortage, disruption.	Higher wages, weaker villeinage, changes in land use.
Statute of Labourers	Attempt to control wages.	Increased resentment and showed tension over labour.
Poll taxes	Raised money but caused anger.	Helped trigger revolt and warned rulers about taxation.
Peasants' Revolt	Rebel defeat and punishment.	Became a symbol of protest; villeinage continued to decline.

Change and continuity after the Black Death

Changed	Stayed similar
Workers were scarcer.	England still had a king and nobles.
Some wages rose.	Social hierarchy continued.
Some peasants negotiated better terms.	Many poor people still struggled.
Villeinage weakened over time.	Lords still controlled land and local courts.
Labour laws became a major issue.	The Church remained important.

9. Text / ASCII Diagrams and Timelines

Medieval social pyramid

King | Nobles and senior Church leaders | Knights, officials and wealthier landholders | Free peasants, skilled workers and townspeople | Villeins and poorer peasants

Remember: real life was more complex than a simple pyramid. Some peasants were wealthier than others, and towns had their own social divisions.

Cause web for the Peasants' Revolt

           War with France
                |
                v

Black Death -> labour shortage -> wage demands | | | v v v population fall Statute of Labourers resentment | v poll taxes -> harsh tax collection -> local anger | v John Ball's ideas -> challenge to inequality | v Peasants' Revolt, 1381

Argument scale: was the revolt a failure?

Failure side Turning point side
leaders killed promises cancelled villeinage later declined
rebels defeated government restored showed power of protest

A strong answer can place its judgement somewhere on the scale and explain why.

Source evaluation grid

Question	What to ask
Content	What does the source say or show?
Inference	What does it suggest beyond the obvious?
Provenance	Who made it, when and where?
Purpose	Why was it made?
Audience	Who was meant to read or see it?
Context	What was happening at the time?
Usefulness	What can it help us learn?
Limitation	What can it not tell us?

10. Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Saying medieval people were stupid

Better: Medieval people did not have modern germ theory. They used religious, environmental and medical ideas from their own time.

Mistake 2: Confusing causes, symptoms and consequences

Cause: infection and spread of plague.

Symptoms: fever, swellings, weakness and other signs of illness.

Consequences: death, labour shortage, wage changes and social tension.

Mistake 3: Thinking the Black Death immediately made peasants free

Better: It increased many workers' bargaining power, but lords and the government resisted. Change was uneven and took time.

Mistake 4: Thinking the Peasants' Revolt immediately ended all hardship

Better: The revolt failed in the short term. Promises were cancelled. But long-term social and economic changes continued.

Mistake 5: Treating rebels as one identical group

Better: Rebels included different groups with different motives, including villeins, wage labourers, townspeople and local leaders.

Mistake 6: Ignoring chronology

Remember the order:

Black Death -> labour shortage -> Statute of Labourers -> poll taxes -> Peasants' Revolt

Mistake 7: Using sources as if they are automatically true

Better: Ask who made the source, why, and what viewpoint it might show. A chronicle may reveal fear but may also exaggerate.

Mistake 8: Writing one-sided answers

For judgement questions, include both sides:

• What changed?
• What stayed the same?
• What happened quickly?
• What happened slowly?

11. Exam Tips

Command words

Command word	What to do
Describe	Give clear details about what happened or what something was like.
Explain	Give reasons and link them to the outcome. Use "because", "therefore" and "this meant".
Compare	Show similarities and differences.
How far	Make a balanced judgement, not just one side.
How useful	Explain what a source helps us learn and what its limits are.
Why	Give causes, not just events.
What changed	Identify change and explain its importance.
How significant	Judge importance using evidence and criteria.

Writing strong paragraphs

Use this structure:

Point: Make a clear point.

Evidence: Add a precise fact, date, person, law or event.

Explain: Show how the evidence proves your point.

Link: Connect back to the question.

Example:

One economic cause of the Peasants' Revolt was the Statute of Labourers. This law, passed in 1351, tried to keep wages at pre-plague levels. This angered workers because the Black Death had made labour scarce, so many believed they deserved better pay. Therefore, the law increased resentment towards landowners and the government.

Source questions

When answering source questions:

• quote or refer to a precise detail
• make an inference
• use your own knowledge
• consider provenance and purpose
• explain limitations

Weak answer: "The source is useful because it tells us about plague."

Stronger answer: "The source is useful for showing medieval beliefs because it mentions corrupted air and God's anger. This fits what we know about miasma and religious explanations. However, it is limited for explaining the modern cause of plague because it does not know about bacteria."

Judgement questions

For "How far" questions:

• start with a clear judgement
• explain both sides
• weigh the evidence
• use short-term and long-term differences
• return to your judgement at the end

12. Practice Questions

A. Quick recall questions

1. In what year did the Black Death reach England?
2. Name one port area linked to the arrival of plague in England.
3. What is a pandemic?
4. What was miasma?
5. Name one medieval explanation for plague.
6. Name one symptom linked to plague.
7. What is a labour shortage?
8. Why did wages tend to rise after the Black Death?
9. What was the Statute of Labourers?
10. In what year was the Statute of Labourers passed?
11. What was a poll tax?
12. Who was king during the Peasants' Revolt?
13. How old was Richard II approximately during the revolt?
14. Name one leader of the rebels.
15. Who was John Ball?
16. In what year did the Peasants' Revolt happen?
17. Where did Richard II meet rebels on 14 June 1381?
18. Where was Wat Tyler killed?
19. Give one short-term consequence of the revolt.
20. Give one long-term change linked to the period after the Black Death.

B. Multiple choice questions

Choose the correct answer.

1. The Black Death reached England in: A. 1066 B. 1215 C. 1348 D. 1509

2. A pandemic is: A. a tax on land B. a disease outbreak across many countries C. a medieval court D. a type of wage

3. Miasma means: A. bad or corrupted air B. a royal law C. a free peasant D. a church tax

4. One common medieval religious explanation for plague was: A. bacteria B. punishment from God C. steam engines D. electricity

5. The Black Death caused a labour shortage because: A. too many people became lords B. many workers died C. all farms closed permanently D. money disappeared

6. The Statute of Labourers was passed in: A. 1348 B. 1351 C. 1381 D. 1485

7. The Statute of Labourers tried to: A. raise wages for all workers B. keep wages at earlier levels C. end monarchy D. ban farming

8. A villein was: A. an unfree peasant tied to a manor B. a king's adviser C. a foreign merchant D. a bishop

9. Poll taxes helped cause anger because they were: A. paid only by kings B. charged per person C. paid only in wool D. voluntary gifts

10. Richard II became king in: A. 1348 B. 1351 C. 1377 D. 1385

11. The Peasants' Revolt happened in: A. 1314 B. 1348 C. 1381 D. 1455

12. Wat Tyler was: A. a rebel leader B. a plague doctor from Italy C. Richard II's father D. a Norman duke

13. John Ball was known as: A. a radical preacher B. a royal treasurer C. a French general D. a merchant banker

14. The rebels entered: A. York B. London C. Edinburgh D. Cardiff

15. At Mile End, Richard II: A. appeared to agree to rebel demands B. resigned as king C. started the Black Death D. passed the Domesday Book

16. Wat Tyler was killed at: A. Hastings B. Smithfield C. Runnymede D. Bosworth

17. In the short term, the Peasants' Revolt: A. completely succeeded B. failed because promises were cancelled C. made Wat Tyler king D. ended all taxes forever

18. In the long term, villeinage: A. strengthened everywhere immediately B. continued to decline in many areas C. became compulsory for nobles D. replaced the Church

19. Which is a consequence of the Black Death? A. Labour became scarcer B. William conquered England C. Magna Carta was sealed D. The Tudor dynasty began

20. Which is an example of a political cause of the revolt? A. Unpopular royal advisers B. Fever C. Buboes D. Bad harvests in 1066

21. Which is an example of an economic cause? A. The Statute of Labourers B. The Bayeux Tapestry C. The Harrying of the North D. The Spanish Armada

22. Which statement is most accurate? A. Medieval people had modern germ theory. B. Medieval people had no ideas about disease. C. Medieval people used religious, medical and environmental explanations. D. Medieval people never tried treatments.

23. A source's provenance means: A. its spelling B. who made it, when and where C. how long it is D. whether it has pictures

24. A limitation of a plague chronicle might be that: A. it can show fear B. it was written from one viewpoint C. it contains words D. it is about the past

25. Which event came first? A. Peasants' Revolt B. Statute of Labourers C. Black Death arrival in England D. Richard II meets rebels at Smithfield

26. Which event came last? A. Black Death arrival B. Statute of Labourers C. Poll tax of 1380 D. Wat Tyler killed

27. The Hundred Years' War mattered because: A. it made government need money B. it ended villeinage in 1066 C. it caused bacteria to exist D. it stopped taxation

28. Which demand was linked to the rebels? A. End villeinage B. Restore Roman rule C. Crown John Ball king D. End all farming

29. Which phrase best describes long-term change after the Black Death? A. Everything changed overnight. B. Nothing changed at all. C. Some labour relations changed gradually and unevenly. D. Peasants became nobles immediately.

30. A strong answer about the revolt should: A. only describe violence B. explain causes and consequences with evidence C. ignore dates D. say all rebels were identical

C. Source questions

Use Source A from Section 6.

1. Identify one religious belief shown in Source A.
2. Identify one medical or environmental belief shown in Source A.
3. What can Source A suggest about how people responded to fear?
4. How useful is Source A for understanding medieval explanations of plague?

Use Source C from Section 6.

5. What does Source C suggest about labour after the Black Death?
6. Use evidence from Source C to support your answer.
7. What limitation might Source C have if it was written from a lord's viewpoint?
8. How could a historian use Source C with other evidence?

Use Source D from Section 6.

9. Which interpretation sees the revolt as a failure?
10. Which interpretation sees the revolt as a turning point?
11. Explain why both interpretations can be supported by evidence.

D. Short answer questions

1. Describe two symptoms linked to the Black Death.
2. Explain one way trade helped the plague spread.
3. Explain one reason why medieval people believed in miasma.
4. Describe one attempted prevention for plague.
5. Explain why labour became more valuable after the Black Death.
6. Describe the Statute of Labourers.
7. Explain why the Statute of Labourers angered workers.
8. Describe one reason poll taxes were unpopular.
9. Explain one role played by Wat Tyler.
10. Explain one role played by John Ball.
11. Describe what happened at Smithfield.
12. Explain one short-term consequence of the Peasants' Revolt.
13. Explain one long-term consequence of the Black Death.
14. Compare economic and religious causes of the revolt.
15. Explain why historians disagree about whether the revolt failed.

E. Longer written questions

1. Explain why the Black Death spread so quickly in England.
2. Explain why the Black Death changed the relationship between peasants and landowners.
3. Why did the Peasants' Revolt happen? Give at least three causes.
4. How useful is Source C for learning about the effects of the Black Death on work?
5. How far did the Black Death change medieval England?
6. How far was the Peasants' Revolt a failure?
7. Compare the short-term and long-term consequences of the Peasants' Revolt.
8. Explain the significance of John Ball's ideas in 1381.

13. Answer Key

A. Quick recall answers

2. Melcombe Regis in Dorset, or another southern port.
3. A disease outbreak that spreads across many countries or continents.
4. Bad or corrupted air believed to cause disease.
5. Religion, miasma, astrology, imbalance of humours or poison rumours.
6. Fever, swellings, weakness, vomiting or dark marks.
7. A lack of available workers.
8. Fewer workers meant employers had to compete for labour.
9. A law trying to keep wages at pre-plague levels and control workers.
11. A tax charged per person.
12. Richard II.
13. About fourteen.
14. Wat Tyler.
15. A radical preacher who criticised social inequality.
17. Mile End.
18. Smithfield.
19. Rebel leaders were punished; promises were cancelled; royal control was restored.
20. Decline of villeinage, higher bargaining power, or changes in wages and rents.

B. Multiple choice answers

1. C
2. B
3. A
4. B
5. B
6. B
7. B
8. A
9. B
10. C
11. C
12. A
13. A
14. B
15. A
16. B
17. B
18. B
19. A
20. A
21. A
22. C
23. B
24. B
25. C
26. D
27. A
28. A
29. C
30. B

C. Source question answers

1. People believed God might be angry because of sin.
2. People believed corrupted or foul air could cause disease.
3. People responded with prayer, medical advice and attempts to avoid danger.
4. It is useful for showing common medieval beliefs, especially religion and miasma. It is limited because it is invented and does not show the modern medical cause.
5. Labour was scarce and workers could demand higher wages.
6. "Servants will not work unless they receive greater payment" or "seek work where wages are better."
7. It may focus on the lord's problems and not explain the workers' viewpoint fairly.
8. A historian could compare it with wage records, manor court records, laws or other local evidence.
9. Interpretation 1.
10. Interpretation 2.
11. Interpretation 1 is supported by the killing of leaders and cancelled promises. Interpretation 2 is supported by the long-term decline of villeinage and the revolt's significance as protest.

D. Short answer guidance

1. Award credit for symptoms such as fever and painful swellings.
2. Trade helped because ships, carts, merchants and travellers connected infected places.
3. Bad smells were linked to rotting matter and poor air, so miasma seemed plausible without germ theory.
4. Examples include prayer, burning herbs, avoiding infected places or carrying scented items.
5. Many workers died, so surviving workers were in demand.
6. It was a 1351 law controlling wages and movement of workers.
7. It stopped workers benefiting from labour shortage and better pay.
8. They placed pressure on households and seemed unfair, especially with harsh collection.
9. Wat Tyler led rebels and negotiated with Richard II.
10. John Ball spread ideas criticising inequality and villeinage.
11. Wat Tyler met the king and was killed.
12. Rebel leaders were punished and promises were withdrawn.
13. Workers gained bargaining power or villeinage weakened over time.
14. Economic causes concerned wages and taxes; religious causes concerned ideas about equality and criticism of hierarchy.
15. It failed short term but may have mattered long term.

14. Model Answers

Model answer 1: Explain why the Black Death spread so quickly in England.

The Black Death spread quickly in England partly because trade connected different places. It probably arrived through southern ports in 1348, and ships, merchants and travellers helped disease move from one area to another. Ports and towns were important because they brought people and goods together.

Another reason was that medieval people did not understand the modern cause of plague. They did not know about bacteria, so they could not use modern public health methods. Some people tried prayer, herbs or avoiding bad air, but these did not fully stop the disease.

Crowded living conditions also helped the disease spread. In towns, people often lived close together, and families, carers and priests had close contact with the sick. Therefore, trade, limited medical knowledge and close contact all helped the Black Death spread rapidly.

Model answer 2: Explain why the Black Death changed the relationship between peasants and landowners.

The Black Death changed the relationship between peasants and landowners because it caused a major labour shortage. Many workers died, but landowners still needed people to farm fields and do other work. This meant surviving workers became more valuable.

As a result, some peasants and labourers demanded higher wages or better conditions. Some moved to places where employers offered more money. This challenged the old power of landowners, who were used to controlling workers, especially villeins.

The government responded with the Statute of Labourers in 1351. This law tried to keep wages at pre-plague levels and stop workers moving for better pay. However, the law also shows that landowners were worried. The Black Death did not make peasants completely free at once, but it gave many workers more bargaining power.

Model answer 3: Why did the Peasants' Revolt happen?

The Peasants' Revolt happened because of several connected causes. One important economic cause was the labour shortage after the Black Death. Workers expected better wages because fewer people were available to work. However, the Statute of Labourers tried to keep wages low, which created resentment.

Another cause was taxation. Richard II's government needed money, partly because of war with France. Poll taxes were introduced in 1377, 1379 and 1380. The 1380 poll tax was especially unpopular because it put pressure on ordinary people and tax collection could be harsh.

There were also social and religious causes. Villeins disliked being unfree and tied to their lords. John Ball's preaching criticised inequality and encouraged people to question why some people had power over others. This gave some rebels a stronger sense that the social system was unfair.

Overall, the revolt happened because economic pressure, unfair taxation, villeinage and radical ideas came together. The poll tax triggered the revolt, but the deeper causes had been building since the Black Death.

Model answer 4: How useful is Source C for learning about the effects of the Black Death on work?

Source C is useful because it shows the effects of labour shortage from a lord's point of view. It says that "the tenants are fewer than before", which suggests population loss after the Black Death. It also says that servants wanted "greater payment", showing that workers had more bargaining power.

The source is also useful because it helps explain why landowners supported laws like the Statute of Labourers. If fields were "partly untilled" and workers were moving for better wages, lords would want the government to control labour.

However, the source has limitations. It is an invented source, so it is not direct evidence from one real manor. Also, if a similar record were written for a lord, it might present workers as troublesome and ignore their reasons for wanting higher pay. A historian should compare it with wage records, court records and laws from the period.

Model answer 5: How far did the Black Death change medieval England?

The Black Death changed medieval England to a large extent because it caused huge population loss. When many people died, labour became scarce. This gave surviving workers more bargaining power, and some were able to demand higher wages or better conditions.

It also weakened villeinage over the long term. Lords increasingly found it difficult to force peasants to work in the old ways. Some accepted money rents instead of labour services. This did not happen everywhere at the same speed, but it was an important change in the countryside.

However, the Black Death did not change everything immediately. England still had a king, nobles and a powerful Church. The government passed the Statute of Labourers in 1351 to stop wages rising, showing that the ruling classes tried to preserve the old order. Many peasants still faced poverty and control by lords.

Overall, the Black Death changed medieval England greatly in the long term, especially in labour relations, but the change was uneven and resisted by those in power.

Model answer 6: How far was the Peasants' Revolt a failure?

The Peasants' Revolt was a failure in the short term. Wat Tyler was killed at Smithfield, John Ball and other leaders were executed, and Richard II cancelled the promises he had made to the rebels. Villeinage was not immediately abolished, and royal authority was restored.

However, it was not a complete failure if we look at long-term significance. The revolt showed that ordinary people could organise and challenge the government. It also revealed deep anger about taxation, labour laws and villeinage. In the years after 1381, villeinage continued to decline in many areas, although this was also because of economic changes after the Black Death.

The best judgement is that the revolt failed to achieve its immediate aims, but it was still significant. It did not instantly transform society, but it exposed weaknesses in the old system and became an important example of popular protest.

Model answer 7: Compare the short-term and long-term consequences of the Peasants' Revolt.

The short-term consequences of the Peasants' Revolt were mostly negative for the rebels. Their leaders were punished, Wat Tyler was killed, and Richard II withdrew his promises. The government regained control and villeinage was not ended immediately.

The long-term consequences were more complicated. The revolt did not directly abolish villeinage, but villeinage continued to weaken over time. Lords often had to accept changing economic conditions because labour was still scarce after the Black Death. The revolt also warned rulers that taxation and harsh government could cause serious unrest.

Therefore, the short-term consequences show failure, while the long-term consequences show significance. The revolt did not win immediate freedom, but it formed part of wider changes in medieval society.

Model answer 8: Explain the significance of John Ball's ideas in 1381.

John Ball's ideas were significant because they challenged the social hierarchy of medieval England. Many people believed society was naturally divided into ranks, with kings, lords and peasants each having their place. Ball's preaching questioned why some people should rule over others.

His ideas mattered because they gave the revolt a moral and religious argument, not just an economic one. Rebels were angry about wages, taxes and villeinage, but Ball's message helped connect these complaints to a wider criticism of inequality.

However, we should not exaggerate his role. The revolt had many causes, including poll taxes and labour laws. Not every rebel necessarily followed Ball's ideas in the same way. Even so, his preaching was significant because it showed that some people were beginning to challenge the fairness of the medieval social order.

15. Final Revision Checklist

• I know the key dates: 1348, 1351, 1377, 1379, 1380 and 1381.
• I can explain what the Black Death was.
• I can describe symptoms linked to plague without confusing them with causes.
• I can explain medieval beliefs such as miasma, religion and astrology.
• I understand that medieval people used the knowledge available at the time.
• I can explain why the Black Death caused a labour shortage.
• I can explain what the Statute of Labourers tried to do.
• I can explain why poll taxes angered people.
• I know the key people: Richard II, Wat Tyler and John Ball.
• I can describe the main events of the Peasants' Revolt.
• I can explain economic, social, political and religious causes of the revolt.
• I can identify short-term consequences of the revolt.
• I can identify long-term changes after the Black Death and revolt.
• I can explain change and continuity in medieval society.
• I can use source evidence carefully.
• I can discuss provenance, purpose, context, usefulness and limitations.
• I can explain why interpretations of the revolt differ.
• I can answer "how far" questions with a balanced judgement.
• I can write paragraphs using point, evidence, explanation and link.
• I have practised quick recall, multiple choice, source questions and longer written answers.