Black Death
Marilyn Clark and Kaylee Barr 3rd period
What is the Black Death?
When did this all begin?
1328 - 1351 outbreaks occurred in some places for over 60 years.
It spread through Europe by trading in several European countries with trading ships containing rats and fleas.
How did it spread to Europe?
It was spread by the fleas that were carried by rats and other small rodents. The spread followed the trade routes to every country in Europe. Italian merchants brought the plague with them to the island of sicily from caffa. Then it spread to parts of southern Italy and southern France. The plague spread through France, Modern Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Germany and then it eventually came to England in 1349 which spread through the northern parts of Europe. When the plague hit England, it spread from Weymouth, down to Bristol and into London. Then, it goes into the neighboring areas of Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Boils, Blisters and Bumps
Another symptom of the Black Death, is swelling and swelling can appear all over the body.
Black Fingers
The black around the fingers are from the red swelling because it changes from red, to dark purple, to black, and that is how it gets its name.
Swelling on the leg
This pictures is another example of swelling on a different area of the body
Symptoms and Treatment
Symptoms:
-Produces blackened skin around the swelling areas which are called buboes
-swellings were all over the body
-skin would first turn red, then dark purple and then black
-high fever
-delirium (restlessness, illusions, brought upon by the fever)
-vomiting
-muscle pain
-bleeding in lungs
-mental disorientation
Typically the victims of this plague would sleep through the pain. They only lived between two to four days after catching the disease.
Treatments: Most treatments helped ease the pain of the symptoms like concoctions with herbs but there was no cure back then. Headaches were relieved by sages. Sickness and nausea were treatable with mint and balm.
Results in Social and in Economic situations
Trade declined, and shortages of worker and prices of labor rises dramatically. Decline of population lowered the demands of food, which resulted in falling prices. Landlords paid more for labor while the rents were declining. Peasants bargained with landlords for rent. With everyone in England catching this disease, Parliament of England had to discontinue its meetings because of the problems with the Black Plague. The schools in the Middle ages were closing due to lack of education and attendance because of the plague.
Decrease in Population
One third of the population died, over 200 million people in Europe. 7,500 victims were dying every day. Italy’s crowded cities got hit with the plague where 50 to 60 percent of the people died and In some English and German villages, the entire villages died of the plague.
Cartoon Representation
This picture shows how the children would make a game out of the many deaths by circling around them while singing the song.
Ghosts from the past
To show how the children used to play this game
Hazardous Masks
The children are wearing these masks to prevent from getting the plague while still playing outside.
Ring Around the Rosie
Get Rid of the Plague with Dance and Prayer
Reference to Religion
Other Reasoning
What the people thought about the plague
Most people had no idea how they caught the black plague, neither did the physicians in that time. Many of the people believed that God punished them with the plague or it was caused by the devil. They thought it was God’s punishment because they didn’t have the knowledge of what was going on the plague. Many people of that time avoided those who were affected and some towns even built homes for the people who were affected by the plague. Many of the people of that time blamed the Jews because they accused them of poisoning the wells, which was the start of Anti-semitism. Christians in Germany went on a rampaged and killed Jews, which destroyed many of the Jewish communities. Many Jews fled to Poland, since so many people blamed them of the Black Death.
Essential Questions
How was the economy in Europe affected by the black death?
Why did the Europeans think that the Black Death was a sign from God or the devil?