Public health in the Middle Ages part 2 - The Black Death

Question 1

Where did the Black Death start?

Answer 1

Asia

Question 2

When did the Black Death reach England and from what?

Answer 2

In 1348 from two ships docking in Melcombe harbour in Dorset

Question 3

What was death toll of the Black Death in Europe, and Britain?

Answer 3

In Europe - 1/2 the pop died

Britain - I.5 million died = 1/3 of the pop

Question 4

Give 3 characteristics of the bubonic plague

Answer 4

• fleas that lived in rats bit people and infected them
• came from the germ pastuerella pestis
• victims would get a fever and buboes (large lumps) in their armpits/ groin

Question 5

Give three characteristics of the pneumonic plague

Answer 5

• 7/10 victims died within a week
• caught through breathing infected air
• attacked the lungs and victims would cough up blood

Question 6

Give some common beliefs people thought was a cause to the Black Death

Answer 6

• bed smells from overflowing privies corrupting the air
• invisible fumes spreading across the country
• Saturn in junction with mars and Jupiter meant something bad
• the Jews poisoned the wells and springs
• it was a punishment from god

Question 7

State three things people did to avoid the Black Death but didn’t make a difference

Answer 7

• marched through the streets praying god would spare them
• make candles as tall as them and burn them in a church
• carry a posey of sweet smelling herbs and spices to keep away evil smells

Question 8

State three things people did to avoid the Black Death that made a difference

Answer 8

• clean all filth from streets by order of the king
• burn the clothes of plague victims
• limit the number of mourners at a funeral

Question 9

State 3 treatments people used to cure the Black Death

Answer 9

• drink a mixture of vinegar and mercury
• have yourself bled to release evil spirits
• plaster the plague sores with a paste made of cooked onions and yeast

Question 10

Why does reducing the amount of people at a funeral make a difference to the spread of the Black Death?

Answer 10

As there’s less of a chance of coming into contact with a plague victim who could sneeze or pass fleas to you

Question 11

How does burning victims clothes reduce the spread of the plague?

Answer 11

As the fleas within the people’s clothes that carried the disease will be killed and can’t spread to anyone else

Question 12

Why does making butchers responsible for cleaning animal blood and intestines make a difference to the spread of the Black Death?

Answer 12

As a sanitary environment makes it harder for bacteria and rats to thrive

Question 13

Why does stopping people entering and exiting villages make a difference to the spread of the Black Death?

Answer 13

As you can prevent the victims who are infecting air and spreading the fleas from introducing them to another area

Question 14

Why did the plague spread so quickly?

Answer 14

Street cleaning was poor
Unhygenic habits like throwing rubbish on streets attracting rats
Narrow streets meant people were close to each other
Animals were frequently on streets of towns
Strangers entered towns on market days bringing in disease
Houses were small so families shared the same living space

Question 15

Give 2 short term economic impacts of the Black Death

Answer 15

• Inflation occurred as food prices x by 4

- there was a shortage of men and services causing peasants to get higher wages and cheaper rent

Question 16

Give one long term economic impact of the Black Death

Answer 16

Lords that lost peasants changed to sheep farming as it was easier and reduced basic food supplies

Question 17

Give two long term social impacts of the Black Death

Answer 17

• 1/3 of the population in England died causing many abandoned villages
• there was less of the older population

Question 18

Give some short term social impacts of the Black Death

Answer 18

• Food in villages was left unharvested

- there was persecution of minorities like beggars and foreigners due to Black Death misconceptions

Question 19

Give 3 long term cultural impacts of the Black Death

Answer 19

• 50% of clergy died in villages
• the feudal structure broke down as peasants were looking around for better pay
• opinions towards the Catholic Church changed as churchmen left their villages

Question 20

Give 2 long term political impacts of the Black Death

Answer 20

• in 1351 king Edward released the statute of labourers meaning peasants had to accept wages
• peasants got fined if they left the village they were bound to

Question 21

Give a short term political impact of the Black Death

Answer 21

The peasants revolt of 1381 as peasant tax increases due to there being less of them

Question 22

Give some points to argue the statement that ‘the number of people who died was the most important consequence of the Black Death’

Answer 22

1\3 of the population died causing basic food supplies to be reduced and villages became abandoned as peasants left them
However:
The feudal system was also broken down (linkage to peasants leaving the villages)
Peasants were asking for higher pay
The king released the statute of labourers