Medieval Case Study: The Black Death

Pandemic

refers to an outbreak of an infectious disease that spreads widely throughout one country or many countries

Bacterium

a microbe that lives in air, water, soil, plants, or animals; some can cause disease

Symptom

physical feature that indicates whether a person has a particular disease

Flagellant

a person who whips himself or herself as a religious practice. During the Black Death, flagellants believed that, by punishing themselves, God would show them mercy and save them from death

Quarantine

refers to the state or period of being isolated from others to prevent the spread of infectious disease

What Bacterium caused the black death

Yersinia Pestis

Which two animals were responsible for the black death?

Rats and fleas

What year did the Black Death arrive in England?

1348

What proportion of people were killed by the Black Death?

Four in every ten (more in towns)

What were symptoms of the Black Death?

• burning fever

• Buboes in the groin and armpits

• coughing up blood

• internal bleeding leading to bruising

• vomiting

• diarrhoea

• chest pain

What did people think caused the Black Death?

• a punishment from God

• Planets being incorrectly aligned

• Miasma

• Imbalance in the four humours

• Being close to someone who is affected

What did flagellants do to try and prevent catching the Black Death?

Whipped themselves

How did people try to stop miasma from causing the Black Death?

• burning fires

• cleaning streets

• letting birds fly in their houses to move air

What is quarantine?

When people stay in their homes to avoid mixing with others and spreading illness

Why did people burst their buboes?

to drain the foul-smelling liquid

Which King ordered the streets to be cleaned?

Edward III

How did institutions respond to the Black Death?

• universities studied the Bible, astrology, and ancient texts

• Church preahed the disease was Gods punishment for sin

• The King/government tried to clean up or quarantine places but had little power to enforce it