The Black Death

Flashcards covering key facts about the Black Death from the lecture notes, including causes, transmission vectors, forms, symptoms, spread, mortality, and societal impact.

What bacterium caused the Black Death?

Yersinia pestis.

Where did the Black Death start and how did it reach Europe?

It started in Central Asia and spread west along trade routes like the Silk Road; by 1347 merchant ships brought it to Sicily, then across Europe.

What animals and vectors were central to spreading the plague?

Black rats carrying fleas; fleas transmitted the plague to humans.

How did fleas transmit the plague to humans?

When an infected flea bit a person, the disease entered the bloodstream.

What role did trade play in the spread of the Black Death?

Trade moved goods and people between cities and countries, carrying the disease with them.

Name the three forms of plague involved in the Black Death.

Bubonic plague, pneumonic plague, septicemic plague.

Which form was most common during the Black Death?

Bubonic plague.

How was pneumonic plague transmitted and how contagious was it?

Spread through the air by coughing; it was far more contagious and deadly than bubonic plague.

What is septicemic plague?

The rarest and deadliest form; it moves directly into the bloodstream and kills nearly all victims.

What are buboes?

The blackened, swollen, pus-filled lymph nodes visible on the body.

Why is the Black Death called 'Black Death'?

Named for the large black lumps (buboes) that appeared on victims.

How deadly was the Black Death in Europe?

Up to 60% of Europe’s population died.

What hygiene and living conditions in medieval towns helped spread the plague?

Crowded towns, no proper sewage, waste in streets, animals in towns, and infrequent bathing.

What were the major social and economic impacts of the Black Death?

Devastated towns, disrupted trade, ruined manor lands and businesses, and shattered family and social relationships.

By what year did ships bring the plague to Sicily?

1347.

What does pandemic mean in this context?

An infectious disease that spreads across a country, a large region, or the whole world.

When did the Black Death pandemic occur (in time frame)?

Between the early 1330s and the 1350s.