World History Moment: Wat Tyler’s Rebellion

Plague
A plaque at the port in Weymouth, England. Les Haines / Flickr
Plague
A plaque at the port in Weymouth, England. Les Haines / Flickr

World History Moment: Wat Tyler’s Rebellion

WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.

In 1381, English serfs were restless. The country was still trying to rebound from The Black Death, which had wiped out a third of the population. Meanwhile, England was in a long war against France, so taxes kept going up. Historian John Schmidt tells us the story of one serf named Wat Tyler who led a march on London for more rights.