Reflective Conversation 1

I was always interested in the implications of the Black Death on Medieval Europe, specifically in regards to the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt, and wanted to acquire a deeper understanding of the role of disease in shaping a society. The process in developing the research question involved ensuring that I wasn’t constrained in looking at looking solely at the Black Death in terms of the Peasants’ Revolt. It shifted from the more narrow “to what extent was the Black Death cause the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381” to a broader question regarding the causes of the revolt in general. At this point, I’ve drafted my main arguments. These include the role of the Black Death, dissatisfaction with the nobility and the subsequent shift in the zeitgeist, and the poll taxes as causes of the revolt. This is based on research I gathered by looking at historians such as Chris Wickham, Philip Ziegler and Charles Oman who represent a range of perspectives.

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