6.1.2

Poll Tax

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Poll Tax

King Richard introduced a poll tax due to the war with France which was hated. This tax treated the poor unfairly.

Illustrative background for War against FranceIllustrative background for War against France ?? "content

War against France

  • In 1369, England declared war on France.
  • French troops attacked coastal towns, killing many people.
  • People hated the war and thought that the young King Richard had made a bad decision.
Illustrative background for Introduction of poll taxIllustrative background for Introduction of poll tax ?? "content

Introduction of poll tax

  • England could not afford the war with France, so King Richard introduced a new poll tax.
  • The peasants were used to paying one lot of tax every 4-5 years.
  • But, King Richard asked for five lots of tax in just four years.
Illustrative background for Unfair taxationIllustrative background for Unfair taxation ?? "content

Unfair taxation

  • The tax system as a whole was unfair, with poor and rich people having to pay the same amount.
  • This meant poor people had to pay most of their income to the King, but rich people only paid a small percentage of their income.

Jump to other topics

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.4King John

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.6The Black Death

2Worldviews

3The Empire of Mali

4The Renaissance & Reformations, 1500-1598 AD

5The British Empire, 1583-1960 AD

6The Peasants' Revolt

7Religion in the Middle Ages

8Slavery, 1619-1833 AD

9The English Civil War, 1642-1660

10The Industrial Revolution, 1750-1840

11US Independence, 1775-1783

12The French Revolution, 1789-1815

13The British Empire, 1857–1930

14Suffrage

15World War 1, 1914-1918

16The Inter-War Years, 1919-1939

17World War 2, 1939-1945

18The Cold War, 1947-1962

19Civil Rights in the USA, 1954-1975

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