1.  starter activity Can you remember the story of the Peasants’ Revolt so far? Use the prompts to help you and retell the events to your partner. John Ball Statute of Labourers Work service Wat Tyler Poll tax John of Gaunt Richard II Wars with France

2. How did Wat Tyler die? Aims To find out how Wat Tyler died and consider why there were different interpretations of the event

3. May 1381 King’s commissioners attacked (Fobbing, Essex) collecting poll tax - heads put on poles and paraded around nearby villages. King’s commissioners attacked (Fobbing, Essex) collecting poll tax - heads put on poles and paraded around nearby villages.

4. May 1381 1000s of peasants meet in Maidstone, Wat Tyler (former soldier) appointed leader, takes Rochester Castle & frees John Ball. 1000s of peasants meet in Maidstone, Wat Tyler (former soldier) appointed leader, takes Rochester Castle & frees John Ball. Rochester Castle John Ball

5. Thursday 13 June 1381 Peasants enter London, destroy houses of King’s supporters e.g. Savoy Palace, home of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster as well as lawyers & foreign merchants Peasants enter London, destroy houses of King’s supporters e.g. Savoy Palace, home of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster as well as lawyers & foreign merchants Treasurer Hales & Archbishop Sudbury hide in Tower of London Treasurer Hales & Archbishop Sudbury hide in Tower of London

6. Friday 14 June 1381 Richard meets rebels at Mile End, agrees to abolish poll tax and grant free pardons Peasants break into Tower of London, capture Sudbury & Hales and cut off their head (Sudbury’s takes 8 blows!) Sudbury’s decapitated head, preserved in a parish church

7. Saturday 15 June King meets rebels at Smithfield King meets rebels at Smithfield Wat Tyler killed under mysterious circumstances Wat Tyler killed under mysterious circumstances King called out - ‘You shall have no captain but me!’ King called out - ‘You shall have no captain but me!’ Peasant leaders are rounded up and hanged. Peasant leaders are rounded up and hanged.

8.  Your task Read about Wat Tyler’s last hours and study the two sources describing his death. Read about Wat Tyler’s last hours and study the two sources describing his death. a) Note down the differences between the two sources, giving examples. a) Note down the differences between the two sources, giving examples. b) Why might the sources give such different versions of events? b) Why might the sources give such different versions of events?

9.  Your task Imagine it is 16 th June 1381. Produce the front page of a medieval newspaper. Decide if you are a supporter or opponent of the King. Use the template to help you. You must include the following items: Imagine it is 16 th June 1381. Produce the front page of a medieval newspaper. Decide if you are a supporter or opponent of the King. Use the template to help you. You must include the following items: Evidence of interpretation Evidence of interpretation Explanation of causes Explanation of causes Description of key events Description of key events Interviews with key players Interviews with key players Suitable adverts and references to other stories Suitable adverts and references to other stories

10. Interesting readGood readA real scoop! Describes some of the events of the Peasants’ Revolt. Large font or lots of unused space Describes events in some detail. Includes explanation of some causes. Has the appearance of a newspaper front page, but needs refinement Dramatic detail, clear explanation of a variety of causes. Looks and reads like a front page of a newspaper. Strong evidence of interpretation.