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Western Civilization I / Unit 12   WC1 1109 short lesson, about 20 seconds

The Labor Shortage: Wages Up, Lords Resist, Peasants Rise

Captions available

The idea

With workers scarce, lords tried to hold peasants and freeze wages, the Statute of Laborers on the witness, and peasants rose: the Jacquerie in France in thirteen fifty-eight and the English Rising of thirteen eighty-one, witness names, both bloodily suppressed. Wages rose for decades regardless.

In practice

Ironically positive for survivors, the anchor says.

Where people slip

The revolts failed; wages rose anyway.

Your place on the trail

Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.

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