Causes
What is the Black Death?
a devastating plague pandemic
What was one immediate effect of the plague?
One immediate effect was mass death and fear across Europe.
What was one way people tried to avoid the plague?
People fled infected areas or wore protective charms or other.
Who was Giovanni Boccaccio?
Giovanni Boccaccio wrote The Decameron, describing the plague’s impact.
What is one way the Black Death is remembered today?
The Black Death is remembered in museums, books, and education.
What bacterium caused the plague?
Yersinia pestis
How did the population change due to the Black Death?
Europe’s population dropped by about one-third.
What were the symptoms of the Black Death?
Symptoms included fever, vomiting, and blood poisoning.
What role did doctors play during the plague?
Doctors treated patients but had limited understanding and often wore plague masks.
How has the Black Death influenced modern medicine?
It led to the development of early public health systems.
What role did fleas play in spreading the plague?
Fleas carried the plague from rats to humans through bites.
What economic impact did the plague have?
Labor shortages caused wages to rise and weakened feudalism.
How did governments respond to the plague?
Governments imposed travel bans and public health orders.
Who were the flagellants?
The flagellants were groups who whipped themselves, believing it would stop the plague.
What lessons can be learned from the Black Death?
The importance of hygiene and disease prevention became clearer.
How did trade contribute to the spread of the Black Death?
Trade routes, especially the Silk Road and sea trade, spread the plague across continents.
How did the plague affect the Church's power?
The Church’s power declined as it failed to stop the plague.
What role did quarantine play in controlling the spread?
Quarantines helped slow the spread by isolating the sick.
What was the significance of Pope Clement VI during the plague?
Pope Clement VI stayed in Avignon and protected Jews from persecution.
How did the Black Death change public health policies?
It inspired the use of quarantine and public health monitoring.
What conditions in cities helped the plague spread?
Overcrowding, poor sanitation, and lack of medical knowledge helped the plague spread in cities.
What long-term social changes resulted from the Black Death?
Peasants gained more freedom, and class structures began to shift.
How did art and literature change due to the Black Death?
Art and literature became darker, focusing on death and suffering.
Who was Ibn Khatima, and what did he contribute to our understanding of the plague?
Ibn Khatima, a Muslim scholar, suggested disease spread through contagion.
What are some myths surrounding the Black Death?
Some myths include that cats caused the plague or that it was divine punishment.