What Was the Black Death?
What was the deadly disease that spread across Europe in the 1300s?
The Black Death
What small insects helped spread the plague?
Fleas
What happened to many villages after large numbers of people died?
They were abandoned
What did workers gain due to labor shortages?
More freedom and opportunity
Who did many people believe was punishing them with the plague?
God
What type of disease caused the Black Death?
The bubonic plague
What animals carried the fleas that spread the disease?
Rats
What happened to wages when there were fewer workers?
Wages increased
What type of laws tried to keep workers’ pay low?
Wage laws
Which group was unfairly blamed for spreading the plague?
Jewish Communities
What painful swellings appeared on victims’ bodies?
Buboes (swollen lymph nodes)
What made medieval cities especially dangerous during the plague?
Poor sanitation and overcrowding
Which powerful institution lost trust after failing to stop the plague?
The Catholic Church
What economic effect happened as towns slowly recovered?
Economic growth
What actions did people take to seek protection from the plague?
Prayer and religious rituals
About what fraction of Europe’s population died from the Black Death?
About one-third
What allowed the plague to spread quickly between countries?
Trade routes
What system weakened as peasants gained more power?
Feudalism
What long-term social movement was encouraged by these changes?
The Renaissance
What mask did doctors wear to protect themselves?
Plague masks
During which century did the Black Death mainly occur?
14th century
What did medieval people believe caused disease before germs were known?
Bad air
What term describes the sharp decrease in population?
Depopulation
What term describes people moving up in social class?
Social mobility
What lack of knowledge made stopping the plague difficult?
Lack of medical and scientific knowledge