CAUSES OF THE PLAGUE
WHAT BACTERIUM CAUSED THE GREAT PLAGUE OF LONDON?
YERSINIA PESTIS
What percentage of London’s population died during the Great Plague?
20% or about 100,000 people
What did plague doctors wear to protect themselves from disease?
Long cloaks, gloves, and beak-like masks filled with herbs
What were the Bills of Mortality?
: Weekly records of deaths and their causes in London
What year did the Great Plague of London end?
1666
What animal helped spread the plague in London?
RATS
What happened to trade and commerce in London during the plague?
Trade slowed, businesses closed, and ports were restricted
What was the purpose of the herbs in the beak masks worn by plague doctors?
To filter out bad air, or miasma, which they believed caused the plague.
Why were the Bills of Mortality important during the Great Plague?
They helped track the spread of the disease and the number of deaths.
What major event in 1666 helped stop the spread of the plague?
The Great Fire of LondoN
What insect transmitted the plague from rats to humans?
FLEAS
How were infected houses marked to warn others?
With a red cross on the door and the words “Lord have mercy upon us.”
Were plague doctors successful in curing the plague?
No, their treatments were mostly ineffective
Who was responsible for creating the Bills of Mortality?
Parish clerks in London
What role did quarantine measures play in ending the plague?
They helped slow the spread by isolating infected individuals.
What theory did people at the time believe caused the plague?
Miasma, or bad air
What role did the "Bills of Mortality" play during the Great Plague?
They recorded weekly death counts and the causes of death in London.
What tools did plague doctors use to examine patients or perform treatments?
Wooden canes to examine patients from a distance and tools for bloodletting.
What were some common causes of death listed in the Bills of Mortality?
Plague, fever, smallpox, and consumption
What role did quarantine measures play in ending the plague?
They helped slow the spread by isolating infected individuals
What living conditions in London made the spread of the plague worse?
Overcrowded and unsanitary areas with poor waste management
How did the Great Fire of London in 1666 impact the plague?
It helped end the plague by destroying many rat-infested areas and unsanitary conditions.
Who typically hired plague doctors, and what was their role?
They were hired by towns or cities to care for the sick and record deaths.
How were the Bills of Mortality used to inform the public during the Great Plague?
They provided data to warn people about the severity of the plague in specific areas.
$500: What long-term changes after the plague helped prevent future outbreaks?
Improved sanitation, better waste management, and stricter health regulations.