Peasant

Definition

A peasant is a small-scale farmer or agricultural laborer who primarily works on the land, often under a system of feudal obligations. Peasants were typically tied to the land they worked, providing labor and goods to local lords in exchange for protection and access to land. Their role was crucial to the agricultural economy during feudalism, as they produced the food necessary for sustaining the population and supporting the higher social classes.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Peasants made up the majority of the population in feudal societies, often working long hours under challenging conditions to produce food.
2. The relationship between peasants and lords was defined by mutual obligations; peasants provided labor and a share of their harvest in return for protection and access to land.
3. Peasants could be classified into different categories, such as freeholders who owned their land and serfs who were bound to work for their lords.
4. Agricultural techniques used by peasants evolved over time, leading to changes in productivity and social structures within feudalism.
5. Peasant revolts occurred throughout medieval history, often driven by grievances against heavy taxation, harsh labor demands, and desire for greater rights or freedom.

Review Questions

• How did the role of peasants influence the social structure of feudal society?
  • Peasants were essential to the social structure of feudal society as they comprised the majority of the population and were responsible for agricultural production. Their labor supported not only their families but also provided food for the nobility and urban populations. This relationship reinforced the hierarchy, as lords relied on peasant labor while offering protection in return. Therefore, without a stable peasant class, the entire feudal system would struggle to function.
• Analyze the impact of serfdom on the lives of peasants during feudal times.
  • Serfdom significantly impacted peasants' lives by limiting their freedom and enforcing strict obligations to their lords. Serfs were bound to the land, meaning they could not leave or seek better opportunities without permission. This condition often resulted in a cycle of poverty and dependency, as serfs were required to give a portion of their produce to their lord while also fulfilling labor duties. The lack of mobility restricted social advancement and reinforced the power dynamics between classes in feudal society.
• Evaluate the factors that led to peasant revolts during the medieval period and how these revolts challenged the feudal system.
  • Peasant revolts during the medieval period arose from a combination of economic hardship, oppressive taxation, and a growing desire for rights and freedoms. Grievances over feudal obligations, poor living conditions, and fluctuating prices for goods fueled unrest among peasants. These revolts challenged the feudal system by exposing its vulnerabilities; while many revolts were suppressed, they highlighted significant discontent that eventually contributed to broader social changes. The pressure from these uprisings pushed for reforms and changes that diminished the strictures of feudalism over time.

Related terms

Feudalism: A hierarchical social and economic system prevalent in medieval Europe, where land was owned by nobles and worked by peasants who owed service and labor in exchange for protection.

Serfdom: A condition in which peasants were bound to the land they worked on, unable to leave without permission from their lord, often facing various obligations and restrictions.

Manorialism: An economic system that was part of feudalism, focusing on the manor as the basic unit of economic production, where peasants worked the land for their lords.