The Peasants' Revolt

"When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman," that was the slogan of the rebels led by John Ball and Wat Tyler. At the beginning of the 14th century, the Black Death had killed more than a third of the population of England. For the first time the peasants became people of value, for manpower was very short. It was the beginning of the end for the feudal system, but the nobility were determined to suppress any democratic rising and did so ruthlessly. The story of this first popular revolution is told vividly in this primary source portfolio from the first-hand sources of contemporary chronicles and poetry. This portfolio includes a Study Guide with reproducible student activities. 5 Illustrated Broadsheet Essays: * The Peasant's Lot * Suppression by the Law * Rebellion * The Revert Spreads * The Nobles Strike Back 8 Primary Source Documents: * Page from a psalter showing peasants working * Page from a manuscript of Piers Plowman * Extract from a Court Roll for 1373 * Costume of peasants and nobility from contemporary sources, with the statute of 1363 concerning apparel * John Ball's sermon from the Chronicon Angliae, with an illustration of Ball preaching * The death of Wat Tyler, illustration from Froissart's Chroniques * Poem on the death of Jack Straw * Map showing the main areas of rebellion and plan of contemporary London