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Difficulty: MediumThe Black Death and Social Change

In 1348, a catastrophic plague known as the Black Death reached Britain, killing approximately one-third of the population. In the aftermath of this tragedy, how did the resulting scarcity of workers affect the country's social structure?

  1. The shortage of workers allowed laborers to demand higher wages and more freedom, which began the breakdown of the feudal system.Answer
  2. B
    Landowners in 1248 were able to lower wages because the sudden surplus of labor made jobs very scarce.
  3. C
    The nobility used the crisis to strengthen the feudal hierarchy by forcing the surviving peasants to work for lower pay.
  4. D
    The urban middle class was completely wiped out, causing the King to take direct ownership of all village lands.

Answer

The labor shortage caused by the Black Death empowered workers to demand higher wages and greater freedom, leading to the decline of the feudal system.
The correct answer reflects the historical reality that the massive loss of life in 1348 created a labor shortage. This gave the surviving peasantry and laborers the leverage to negotiate for higher wages and more rights, which fundamentally undermined the feudal system where peasants were tied to a specific lord's land.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the year and demographic impact of the plague.
The Black Death arrived in 1348 and killed roughly one-third of Britain's population.
This sets the historical context for the massive shift in the labor supply.
2
Analyze the economic effect of a reduced labor force.
Fewer workers meant that landowners had to compete for labor.
Basic economics dictates that when supply (workers) decreases and demand remains, the price (wages) increases.
3
Evaluate the social consequence of these economic changes.
Workers gained mobility and leverage, weakening the traditional ties of serfdom.
This shift in power made the rigid feudal system increasingly difficult to maintain.

Key Concept

The socioeconomic transformation caused by the Black Death labor shortage.

Practice More

Review the Statute of Labourers (1351) to see how the government tried to react to these rising wages.
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

The Black Death and Social Change

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