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Difficulty: MediumThe Black Death and Social Change

The Black Death arrived in Britain in 1348 and resulted in the death of approximately one-third of the population. Given the massive loss of life and the resulting shortage of workers, which of the following best describes the long-term social impact of this event?

  1. The surviving laborers were able to demand higher wages, which led to a decline in the feudal system.Answer
  2. B
    The land-owning nobility used the crisis to significantly lower wages and strengthen their control over the peasantry.
  3. C
    The loss of life led to the immediate establishment of a modern democratic government by the end of the 1300s.
  4. D
    The feudal system became even more rigid and powerful throughout the 15th century as a result of the population collapse.

Answer

The surviving laborers were able to demand higher wages, which led to a decline in the feudal system.
The correct answer is correct because the arrival of the Black Death in 1348 decimated the population, leaving a much smaller pool of available workers. This scarcity of labor meant that peasants and laborers could demand higher wages and more freedom. This shift in economic power made it impossible to maintain the old feudal system, where peasants were tied to a specific lord's land for life.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary demographic impact of the 1348 plague.
About one-third of the population died, creating a massive shortage of labor.
Understanding the scale of death explains why the labor market was disrupted.
2
Analyze the economic consequence of a labor shortage.
Workers became more valuable and could demand higher pay and better conditions.
Basic supply and demand principles applied to the medieval workforce.
3
Connect these economic changes to the existing social hierarchy (feudalism).
As peasants gained independence and mobility, the feudal system (where they were tied to a lord's land) began to collapse.
Economic empowerment of the lower classes directly challenged the rigid feudal order.

Key Concept

Socioeconomic impacts of the Black Death
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

The Black Death and Social Change

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