The Plague Discussion Questions
The Black Death was an epizootic bubonic plague, a disease caused by the bacterium of rodents known as Yersinia pestis. The bubonic plague overwhelming effects of European history. The Black Death was considered one of the most “devastating pandemics” in human history.
Whom Did the Black Death Affect
The Black death affected mostly Europe. “The disastrous mortal disease known as the Black Death spread across Europe in the years 1346-53.” (Paragraph 1) “By the end, Germany, France, Italy, England, and low countries had felt the plague.” (academic.mu.edu) Throughout Europe, countries were affected by the plague.
Superstitions and Its Roles in the Plague Superstition is “a widely held but unjustified
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The plague was both, physical and psychological because of the effects from the disease. Symptoms of the Plague “Bubonic plague is the most common variety of the disease.” It was followed by several symptoms:
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Muscle aches
• Sudden onset of fever and chills St. Sebastian’s Association with the Black Death
Saint Sebastian was chosen as the patron saint of the Black Death. He was linked to the Black Death because of his survival. He was “a protector against the plague.” “According to historical records, he defended the city of Rome against the plague in 680.” (catholic.org) Black Death vs. AIDS
“A total of 65 million people will have died of AIDS over 15 years.” The Bubonic plague has “wiped out a third of Europe’s population in six terrible years.” The Black Death occurred over seven hundred years ago when resources were limited. Lamptey states, “It is a serious comparison.” Both diseases destructed families and caused a prevalent amount of deaths. Survival Most people attempting to avoid the plague used tobacco as a favor. Recommended by doctors, people wore lucky charms which became common. “The Church had a more basic way of protecting yourself against the plague. It recommended prayer and then more prayer.” (historylearningsite.co.uk) Bird-Like Mask “Physicians treating the plague dressed in eccentric costumes. Plague doctors wore a mask with a bird-like beak to protect them
The black plague, also known as the bubonic plague, swept its way across Europe beginning in 1346 A.D. , killing an estimated thirty to fifty percent of the total population. The plague was spread by fleas infected with Yersinia pestis, and was carried over oceans by hitchhiking rats and pet gerbils. The plague outbreak that decimated the population was transported by infected Christian merchants
By the time the plague began to decline in the 1400s, half of Europe’s population had perished from the effects of the plague (document 9). The following essay will explain why the Bubonic Plague was so devastating to European society because of how quickly the disease would spread, the passing of millions of people, and the lack of treatment and physicians. To begin with, not only had the Plague kill millions of people, but it affected families as well. The death of many loved ones caused family relationships to go downhill.
In the early 1300s, life in Europe was completely normal. The plague had yet to even be a thought in their minds. Many people had heard a rumor
The Black Death, also known as the bubonic plague, was a disease that devastated Medieval Europe, between 1346 and 1352 it killed 45 million people, wiping out a third of Europe's population. Today, we know that there were many causes of the Black Death. Medieval towns had no system of drains, sewers or trash collections. In such slovenly conditions, germs could grow, and diseased rats could call these medieval towns their homes and infect the people who lived there. Many historians believed the plague originated in china and spread to other countries by trade routes. Infected people and/or infected rodents such as mice or black rats. The Black Death was caused by strains of the bubonic plague. The plague lived in fleas, and fleas lived on
In the 14th century the Black Death engulfed Europe killing an estimated 50 million people. The pandemic is considered extraordinary because it did so in a matter of months. This disease was carried by fleas, the Bubonic Plague is caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis, found mainly in rodents, in this case in rats, and the fleas that feed on them.
In document 2 it states, “To cure these infirmities neither the advice of the physicians nor the power of medicine appeared to have any value or profit; perhaps either the nature of the disease did not allow for any cure or the ignorance of the physicians . . . did not know how to cure it; as a consequence, very few were ever cured; all died three days after the appearance of the first outward signs, some lasted a little bit longer, some died a little bit more quickly, and some without fever or other symptoms.” This shows that many people died quickly because the physicians did not understand how to deal with the rapid spreading of this disease and how to treat it. Also, document 6 states “Medieval physicians wore outfits made of cloth or leather to protect themselves from the plague. The bird-like beak contained spices and vinegar-soaked cloth to mask the stench of death and decay.” This indicates the common belief back then that the smell of the dead bodies was spreading the disease. This also demonstrates the ignorance physicians had about germs which was a big part of why the plague affected so many people in such a short amount of
The Black Death was an epidemic of the bubonic plague, a disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis that circulates among wild rodents. There are three types of this disease bubonic, pneumonic, and septicaemic. The bubonic plague caused severe headaches, fever, vomiting, and buboes which is a swollen lymph node in the armpit or groin. Bubonic is the most common type of plague and the victim usually dies approximately 22 days after coming into contact with another infected
No one knew how to treat it or how to prevent it. The Europeans knew very little about disease or where this particular disease was coming from. Commoners believed it was a punishment from God for their sins. Towns tried to take preventive measures by outlawing gambling, swearing, and by secluding prostitutes. Others, such as the Flagellants, tried to repent. More intellectual minds tried to explain it with science. Some believed a shift in the cosmos was poisoning the air and others thought of it as an unbalance in the body. Most physicians stopped treating patients when the plague spun out of control, however a few curious minds continued to investigate cures and symptoms. Doctors tried various treatments to keep the plague at bay. They covered themselves from head to toe and others surrounded themselves with
The people of the town would throw food at you if they saw you in town and you were ill with the Plague. No one in the towns wanted the Plague so they thought if they killed the people that had it; the dieses would eventually go away. Some people would steal the cloths off the dead people and sell it just to make a little money, even if thought that would help spread the Black Plague.
The Black Death infected the entire continent of Europe in the years from 1347 to 1353. This bubonic plague killed over 200 million citizens, half the world’s population at the time! First, the disease infected fleas, which housed on the rats. This made the rats a transportation method for the Black Death. For example, “Each time a flea or rat bit a human, this person automatically contracted the Black Death” as stated on the History Channel. Secondly, the Black Death spread throughout the continent because of people’s travels. For instance, “It was first discovered in Europe when sailboats docked in Messina and were full of people who had contracted this Black Death,” as also stated on the History Channel. Lastly, the Black Death was a very
In fourteenth century Europe, the main object of the people's’ fears was the Bubonic Plague, more commonly know as the Black Death. They were nothing less than ecstatic when the giant outbreak of the disease had diminished, but it could not be put out completely. In 2015, nearly 15 cases were reported of the Bubonic Plague. The most recent being reported on September 14, 2015, in Marquette County, Michigan. Residents described fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes in the armpits, neck, and groin.
The Black Death, also known as the Bubonic Plague, was one of the deadliest epidemics among human history. This illness arrived in Europe around 1347 and from there, it ran its course killing millions of Europeans, almost one third of the country’s population. To put this into number form, the population in “1347 was 75 million people and by the time 1352 came, there were only 50 million” people (“The Black Death: Bubonic Plague”). People believe the Black Death started in China and since China was trading with other countries like Asia and Europe it caused the illness to spread. Just to show how horrifying this illness was some reported that when “twelve Genoese ships docked in the Sicilian port of Messina” (“Black Death”), most of the sailors
The bubonic plague was the most commonly seen form of the Black Death. The symptoms of the bubonic plague were swellings called buboes, much like tumors, and dried blood under the skin that appeared black. These buboes appeared on the neck, groin, and armpits of the victim’s body. The term "bubonic" refers to the characteristic bubo or enlarged lymphatic gland. Victims were subject to headaches, nausea, aching joints, fever of 101-105 degrees, vomiting, and a general feeling of illness. Symptoms took from 1-7 days to appear.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the bubonic plague is the most common form of plague known. Where it usually occurs after the bite of an infected flea. The key characteristics of bubonic plague is that an infected person typically comes down with symptoms such as swollen and painful lymph nodes, usually in the groin, armpit or neck areas
The Black Plague or popularly know as the “Black Death” was one of the most horrifying and deadly diseases in human history. Between 75 and 200 million people were estimated to have died. From 1346 to 1353 the Black Death was expanding across Europe. The Plague created religious, social, and economic problems all across Europe.