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Peasants were members of a social class in agrarian societies that formed the majority of the population during the Middle Ages and early modern periods in Europe. They were primarily engaged in subsistence farming, cultivating small plots of land to grow crops and raise livestock for their own survival. Unlike nobles or clergy, peasants lacked significant political power and often worked as tenants on land owned by the aristocracy or the church. Their lives were governed by feudal obligations, including labor services, rent payments, and military duties.
The term "peasant" is derived from the Latin *pagus*, meaning "rural district," and was used to distinguish
Peasant life varied across regions and historical periods. In some areas, peasants enjoyed relative autonomy, while