Black death

When did the black death arrive in England?

1348

How did the black death arrive?

Asia via trade routes

How much of England’s population did black death kill?

30-50%

How did black death impact people?

villages wiped out, shortage of labour, food shortage, increase in prices

What was the black death an outbreak of?

the bubonic plague

Symptoms of black death?

swollen lymph nodes (buboes), fever, chills, headaches, fatigue, muscle ache

How was the black death spread?

rats carrying yersinia pestis transmitted to fleas that bit the rats

Why did the bubonic plague thrive in England?

the infected fleas were common

What was thought to be the astrological cause of the black death?

unusual position of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn (1345), believed to cause corrupt atmosphere and poisoning air leading to illness

Was miasma thought to be the cause of the black death?

yes, it was thought to be caused by bad poisoned air spread through inhalation of the air

How were natural disasters thought to be the cause of black death?

believed that earthquakes and volcanic eruptions released deadly fumes (connects to miasma), based o n reports of national disasters in Asia and Europe before outbreak

How were pilgrimages taken as a religious approach to the black death?

prayed for cure and protection

How were prayers taken as a religious approach to the black death?

Special prayers written and performed to cure the outbreak, offered in community and private seeking mercy

How were masses taken as a religious approach to the black death?

Church held masses for those affected by the outbreak, praying for their recovery and salvation of dead souls

How was flagellation taken as a religious approach to the black death?

Flagellants believed the outbreak was punishment of sin, publicly whipped themselves as penance hoping suffering would lessen God’s anger towards them

How were traditional remedies used?

herbs, aloe, myrrh believed to strengthen body’s resistance to disease, vinegar used as disinfectant, people washed themselves with it and carried vinegar soaked sponges for protection

What did physicians encourage?

purging and bloodletting, following theory of 4 humours

Why did people flee to the countryside?

believing fresh air and clean environment provided protection (miasma theory)

What quarantine laws did local authorities action?

people new to area had to stay in isolation for 40 days, houses with outbreak were in quarantine

why did local authorities stop cleaning streets?

believed smell from waste would drive away bad air

Why were public gatherings banned by local autorities?

to prevent spread of disease

How were the dead burried?

in mass pits, away from residential areas