The Black Death

When was the Black Death?

1348-1349

What was the Black Death?

It came from two types of plague; bubonic and pneumonic

What was the bubonic plague?

Caused buboes (large swellings) under the armpit, on the neck and in the groin

How was it spread?

It is believed to have come overseas from Europe as rats were common on ships, then spread by rats with fleas on them once they arrived in England, which bit humans to give them the plague

What was the pneumonic plague?

Spread through coughing and sneezing which released droplets of water containing the plague - the mortality rate was almost 100%!

How many people were killed by the Black Death?

Up to half of Europe’s population, with 2-3 million Britons dying as a result

What did people believe caused the Black Death at the time?

Bad smells (miasma) caused by overflowing privies or rotting food corrupting the air, an imbalance of the four humours in each victim, witchcraft or the influence of Jews by poisoning the wells and springs in England, a punishment from God as he was angry with people’s sinful lifestyles

What preventions and cures were believed in at the time?

Flagellants whipped themselves as they believed that this would show God that they were sorry for their sins, people prayed for each other as encouraged by the church and the king (who asked people to walk through the streets while praying), doctors tried to balance the four humours through bloodletting and purging as a common treatment. The miasma theory led people to carry herbs and flowers so they could avoid the smell of the streets and keep evil spirits away

Did Europe learn from the plague?

No - there was no new understanding of the causes of disease 300 years later, when the plague broke out again in 1665 as the same treatments were used to deal with it

What were the political impacts of the Black Death?

The Statute of Labourers was introduced in 1351 to end the rise in wages to their original sum and forced peasants to stay in the land they were born in - this eventually caused the Peasant’s Revolt due to growing anger and dissent experienced by peasants who made up most of the population

What were the economic impacts of the Black Death?

The price of food dramatically increased due to a shortage in towns as there were fewer workers to harvest the crops - much of it simply rotted in the fields. Sheep farming also became more popular because it used fewer workers (which suited the smaller population of England) enabling nobles to make a higher profit, however this led to the poor not being able to afford food, so many survivors faced starvation. Taxes were also introduced for the peasants to pay for the king’s overseas wars

What were the social impacts of the Black Death?

Peasants were encouraged to move around more for work and higher wages. At least 1/3 died from the Black Death and it came back sporadically throughout the next several hundred years. The feudal system (a hierarchal system) was disrupted but new laws to reinstate this led to anger and revolt for many peasants

What were the religious impacts of the Black Death?

Clergy were criticised for cowardice as many left their villages, helping to change opinions relating to the Catholic Church. Many clergy also died, so the church had to find new bishops, monks, nuns and other people. There was a persecution of minorities such as foreigners, beggars or lepers due to misunderstandings of causing the plague