The Black Death

6.3 How deadly was the Black Death?

• Learning Intention: To examine the impact of the plague on Britain at the time.

The Spread of the Black Death

• The Black Death spread across Europe, as illustrated by a map showing its progression.
• December 1347: The plague had already spread to the UK.
• June 1348: London affected.
• December 1348: The plague continues to spread.
• June 1349: Plague continues its spread.
• December 1349: The plague continues.
• June 1350: Plague continues.

Contemporary Accounts of the Black Death

• Source B: Letter from Francesco Petrarca (1349).
  • Describes widespread death and grief in Italy and France.
  • Funerals are constant, churches are full, and graveyards are overflowing.
  • Notes the loss of friends and the depopulation of regions.
• Source C: Robert of Avesbury (1349).
  • The disease originated outside Europe and rapidly spread.
  • In England, it started in Dorset and spread quickly.
  • Victims died within a few hours or days.
  • In London, deaths increased from February to April 1349, with over 200 daily burials at Smithfield cemetery.
  • The plague subsided around May 1349.
• Source D: Medieval graffiti from Ashwell, Hertfordshire.
  • Inscription from 1349-1350: "1349 the disease. 1350 pitiless, wild, violent, the surviving people live to tell the tale."

Reasons for Rapid Spread in Britain

• Overcrowding: People lived close together in towns and cities.
• Lack of Knowledge: Ignorance about disease transmission.
• Unsafe Burial Practices: People burying the dead did not take precautions, leading to further infections.
• Shallow Graves: In villages, bodies were buried in shallow holes, allowing animals to dig them up and spread the disease.
• Poor Sanitation: Dirty streets provided a breeding ground for rats.
• Ignored Regulations: Some towns had cleanliness rules, but many ignored them.
• Rats and Fleas: These spread the Black Death.

Mortality Rate

• Worldwide, the Black Death killed approximately 75 million people.
• In Europe, about 25 million people died, which was around half of the population.

Consequences of the Black Death

• Labor Shortage: Not enough people to care for animals or harvest crops.
• Peasant Mobility: Peasants moved around to find work where they were needed.
• Wage Laws: The king tried to freeze wages, causing discontent among the poor.