Peasant

A peasant is a name for a person that worked for others on a farm and never had much money. They usually wore rough, uncomfortable clothes and lived in small houses.

The word peasant came from the French word for "country" in the medieval era (15th century). In feudalism peasants, like other farmers, had to be able to do a number of jobs on the farm. They lived in rural areas and made up a large amount of the population. Most peasants could not read or write. They did not usually talk with the higher society unless it was about work. Some were serfs meaning they were not free to leave their lord's land.

Male peasants were not the only ones who worked in the fields. Their wives and other women also worked in the fields if necessary. Female peasants usually did women's work in the house such as cooking, cleaning, making clothes, and looking after children.

They worked all the time, except sometimes on Sundays they would get a break, and when the harvesting season was over they got a longer break. 

Category:People by wealth or status