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History Quiz - The Peasants' Revolt 01 (Questions)

Test your History skills in this KS3 quiz on the Peasants' Revolt. The Peasants' Revolt is also sometimes known as Wat Tyler's Rebellion. He didn't organise it but became the leader during the troubles. He probably wished that he hadn't, as he was killed during the negotiations with the Lord Mayor of London and the King. The Peasants' Revolt was not only the most extreme and widespread insurrection in English history but also the best-documented popular rebellion ever to have occurred during medieval times.

There were several causes of the Revolt. Europe had suffered the Black Death and about a third of the population had been wiped out. There was therefore a labour shortage and the landowners (barons and the Roman Catholic Church) feared that the peasants would ask for higher wages. A law (The Statute of Labourers of 1351) was passed to prevent this and life was therefore made much harder for the peasants, whose income came from working the land. When Edward III died, his successor was Richard II, who was only 10 years old. The country was therefore run by the barons who took advantage of the situation.

1. The Peasants' Revolt took place in which year?
[ ] 1361
[ ] 1371
[ ] 1381
[ ] 1391
2. Which law of 1351 had already made people angry?
[ ] The Edict of Peasants
[ ] The Law of Landowners' Rights
[ ] The Statute of Labourers
[ ] The Workers' Charter
3. Which was not a feature of the Statute of Labourers?
[ ] A limit on wages
[ ] Peasant labourers could not be set free from landowners
[ ] Peasants could not look for better work in other villages
[ ] Two weeks holiday a year guaranteed
4. Who was the main leader of the Peasants' Revolt?
[ ] Sam Tyler
[ ] Tom Wyler
[ ] Wat Tyler
[ ] Will Taylor
5. The rebels came from which two counties?
[ ] Hampshire and Dorset
[ ] Kent and Essex
[ ] Middlesex and Surrey
[ ] Norfolk and Suffolk
6. Who was King of England at the time of the Revolt?
[ ] Edward II
[ ] Henry IV
[ ] Richard II
[ ] Richard III
7. Which of these was not a cause of the unrest?
[ ] Religious discontent as the Church had too much money
[ ] Selling off farmland to foreign countries
[ ] Taxation
[ ] War
8. At the time of the Revolt, England was at war with which country?
[ ] France
[ ] Germany
[ ] Portugal
[ ] Spain
9. Which tax was the most immediate cause of the uprising?
[ ] Income tax
[ ] Land tax
[ ] Poll tax
[ ] Window tax
10. Who led the peasants alongside Wat Tyler?
[ ] Jack Bell
[ ] James Beal
[ ] Joe Bull
[ ] John Ball

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - The Peasants' Revolt

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History Quiz - The Peasants' Revolt 01 (Answers)
1. The Peasants' Revolt took place in which year?
[ ] 1361
[ ] 1371
[x] 1381
[ ] 1391
Thirty years after the Black Death killed millions of people throughout Europe
2. Which law of 1351 had already made people angry?
[ ] The Edict of Peasants
[ ] The Law of Landowners' Rights
[x] The Statute of Labourers
[ ] The Workers' Charter
Introduced by King Edward III to benefit the nobles and Catholic Church
3. Which was not a feature of the Statute of Labourers?
[ ] A limit on wages
[ ] Peasant labourers could not be set free from landowners
[ ] Peasants could not look for better work in other villages
[x] Two weeks holiday a year guaranteed
Labourers were required to work for the Catholic Church for free whenever they were asked to
4. Who was the main leader of the Peasants' Revolt?
[ ] Sam Tyler
[ ] Tom Wyler
[x] Wat Tyler
[ ] Will Taylor
He didn't start the revolt but became leader after the peasants captured Canterbury
5. The rebels came from which two counties?
[ ] Hampshire and Dorset
[x] Kent and Essex
[ ] Middlesex and Surrey
[ ] Norfolk and Suffolk
Other smaller revolts took place around the country but were on a much smaller scale
6. Who was King of England at the time of the Revolt?
[ ] Edward II
[ ] Henry IV
[x] Richard II
[ ] Richard III
He was only 14 at the time!
7. Which of these was not a cause of the unrest?
[ ] Religious discontent as the Church had too much money
[x] Selling off farmland to foreign countries
[ ] Taxation
[ ] War
A second poll tax introduced by John of Gaunt was the final thing that sparked off the Revolt
8. At the time of the Revolt, England was at war with which country?
[x] France
[ ] Germany
[ ] Portugal
[ ] Spain
The Hundred Years War, 1337-1453. It lasted more than 100 yrs but wasn't continuous. It placed a great financial burden on the King and nobles which is why the poll tax was introduced to make the people pay for it instead
9. Which tax was the most immediate cause of the uprising?
[ ] Income tax
[ ] Land tax
[x] Poll tax
[ ] Window tax
It was very unfair as rich and poor had to pay the same
10. Who led the peasants alongside Wat Tyler?
[ ] Jack Bell
[ ] James Beal
[ ] Joe Bull
[x] John Ball
He was a priest who spoke out against how the Catholic Church exploited the peasants