2.6.1

The Black Death

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The Black Death in Britain - 1348

The Black Death was a mixture of bubonic plague (spread by fleas on black rats) and pneumonic plague (airborne spread by coughing/sneezing). The plagues could cause death within 2 days of the first symptoms.

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Spread of the Black Death

  • The disease began in Asia and spread to Europe on merchant ships.
  • At the time, people thought that the epidemic was caused by supernatural things, e.g. the position of the stars or God’s anger.
  • They also thought it was due to natural reasons, e.g. bad air or an imbalance of bodily fluids.
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Fleas

  • It was actually caused by bacteria in fleas’ stomachs!
    • These fleas passed on the disease to rats, who passed it on to humans.
  • As many people lived close to each other, the disease spread quickly.
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Remedies for the plague

  • Suggested remedies for the Black Death included prayers to satisfy God.
  • Some people tried to use herbs to keep them safe from bad air.
  • Others tried 'purging' (vomiting and bloodletting) to try to keep their bodily fluids balanced.
  • Others tried to move away or avoid those who had become infected.
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Stopping the Black Death

  • Some people thought that they could catch the plague from dead bodies. Towns like Winchester tried to build cemeteries away from people's homes.
  • Other towns like Gloucester tried to stop anyone outside the town entering, but this did not succeed. Towns tried to set up quarantine zones, but they didn’t usually work.
  • Ships were quarantined and had to wait 40 days before unloading in Britain.

Jump to other topics

1Empires East & West: 1000 AD

1.1The Rise & Fall of Ancient China’s Empire

1.2The Medieval Greatness of the Byzantine Empire

1.3The Golden Age of the Islamic Empire

1.4The Politics & Power of the Holy Roman Empire

1.5Medieval Religion

1.6The Influence of the Church in Medieval Times

1.7How Religion Tested the Power of Kings

1.8Dynastic Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.9Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.10Revolts, Rebellions & Rights

1.11Medieval England & Her Neighbours

1.12European Renaissance

1.13Norman Conquest & Control

1.14Historical Skills

2The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

2.1Anglo-Saxon England

2.2The Contest for the English Throne

2.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

2.4King John

2.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

2.6The Black Death

3Worldviews

4The Empire of Mali: 1076-1670 AD

5The Renaissance & Reformations: 1500-1598 AD

6The British Empire: 1583-1960 AD

7The Peasants' Revolt: 1381 AD

8Religion in the Middle Ages

9Slavery: 1619-1833 AD

10The English Civil War: 1642-1660 AD

11The Industrial Revolution: 1750-1840 AD

12US Independence: 1775-1783 AD

13The French Revolution: 1789-1815 AD

14The British Empire: 1857–1930 AD

15Suffrage: 1840-1928 AD

16World War 1: 1914-1918 AD

17The Inter-War Years: 1919-1939 AD

18World War 2: 1939-1945 AD

19The Cold War: 1947-1962 AD

20Civil Rights in the USA: 1954-1975 AD

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