The Black Plague
The virus that killed millions
Why should we study The Black Plague in history class?
It is important to study in history because of the millions killed, the effect it had on society of the time, and the effect it had on the modern world.
How many people did this plague kill?
It is estimated that 50 million people, about 60% of Europe's entire population, died from the black death.
Interesting Facts
Ring Around the Rosey
This common nursery rhyme is actually a song about the black plague originating in England. "Ashes ashes, we all fall down" referring to the mass amounts of death and cremation of the bodies.
The Plague and Rolatly
There is only one known member of royalty that died from the plague--Alfonso XI of Castile.
Orgin
It is believed that the plague was caused from fleas on rats, however new evidence shows that the disease may have been airborne.
Symptoms of The Black Death
Symptoms usually occur withing 2-6 days of being affected. These symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea (bloody), decreased appetite, and tiny broken blood vessels (petechiae.)
Spreading and Prevention of The Plague
The Plague was transferred from rats to fleas to humans and usually not from human to human contact unless one already had the disease. The main reason why the plague took so long to get under control was because of the filthiness of Europe in that time (1346-1353)