The Peasants' Revolt, England 1381

Published: June 17, 2020, 4 a.m.

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When English commoners marched on London in 1381, killing court officials, Flemish immigrants, and anybody associated with John of Gaunt, it was after they had been through years of social unrest following the Black Death, and several harsh taxes.\\xa0 The Revolt is well known even now, not because of the peasants' demands (which they didn't get -- abolishment of serfdom? executions of all of the king's councilors?\\xa0 get real), but because John Ball was giving sermons to them (to either rouse their spirits or incite them to riot, depending on how you look at it), and he was preaching the abolishment of class divisions, and the abolishment of private property.\\xa0 That's what we remember.\\xa0 (He didn't get his demands, either.)

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