The Black Death
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF EUROPE'S POPULATION WAS LOST DURING THE BLACK PLAGUE?
1/3 of the European population was lost during the Black Death
WHEN WAS THE BLACK DEATH?
1347 - 1352
WHAT IS THE PNEUMONIC PLAGUE?
A form of the plague which affects the lungs
WHAT IS THE BUBONIC PLAGUE?
A form of the plague which causes fever and painful swelling of the lymph nodes called buboes
WHAT WAS THE BLACK DEATH?
An epidemic and the worst catastrophe in recorded history. It destroyed a higher proportion of the population than any other single known event.
WHAT WERE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE BUBONIC PLAGUE?
Black or purple buboes, vomiting and fever
HOW WAS THE BUBONIC PLAGUE SPREAD?
By being bitten by an infected flea.
HOW WAS THE PNEUMONIC PLAGUE SPREAD?
By inhaling infected particles from somebody sneezing.
WHAT TREATMENTS DID PEOPLE IN THE 1300'S TRY?
Cooked onions, arsenic and crushed emeralds, fumigating the house with herbs
WHAT OTHER NAMES WERE USED TO REFER TO THE BLACK DEATH?
Initially the plague was referred to as The Pestilence and The Great Mortality.
WHERE DID THE BLACK DEATH ORIGINATE FROM?
It is believed the plague originated from Asia and moved West. It was brought to Italy via rat fleas on board of Italian merchant ships returning from the Black Sea.
WHY WAS IT CALLED THE BLACK DEATH?
It was called the Black Death because of the black spots it produced on the skin.
WHAT DID SOME PEOPLE AT THE TIME THINK CAUSED THE DISEASE?
Medieval people believed that it was God's punishment
WOULD THE BUBONIC PLAGUE BE AS DEADLY TODAY AS IT WAS DURING THE PERIOD OF THE BLACK DEATH?
No, if it occurred today the mortality rate would be 5-10% due to the invention of antibiotics
WHO WAS AFFECTED?
Old and young, men and women: all of society
HOW DID THE RATS TRAVEL AROUND EUROPE?
On board trade ships along rivers and via goods trade
HOW DID THE RATS ARRIVE IN EUROPE?
On board trade ships from the Middle East
WHICH TYPE OF PLAGUE WAS MORE DEADLY BUBONIC OR PNEUMONIC?
Pneumonic: It killed between 95-100% of victims
HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED FROM THE BLACK DEATH?
Probably over 25 million people died from the Black Death from 1347 to 1352
WHAT CARRIED THE BUBONIC PLAGUE?
Rats and rat fleas
WHICH GROUP OF PEOPLE WERE BLAMED FOR THE BLACK DEATH?
The Jews, they were accused of poisoning the wells
WHAT DID MEDIEVAL DOCTORS THINK CAUSED THE PLAGUE?
The movements of the planets or bad smells and corrupt air (bad air)
HOW DID THE BUBONIC PLAGUE GET ITS NAME?
The name came from the swellings called buboes that appeared on a victim's body.
WHEN DID THE EPIDEMIC BREAK OUT ?
The plague started in 1338 in Central Asia before spreading to Europe in the year 1347.
HOW IS THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE PLAGUE EXPLAINED?
Theories are: "Black rats that carry the disease have been replaced by brown rats that didn't carry the disease" or "Humans intervention such as quarantines"
WHAT WERE MEDIEVAL TOWNS LIKE?
They didn't have drains, sewers or rubbish collections