1. Warm-up: Wednesday Describe what you see.
What do you think this picture represents?

2. Also known as “The Bubonic Plague”

3. The Black Death
In 1347 A.D., a great plague swept over Europe 
Out of a total European population of 75 million, possibly as many as 38 million people died of the plague between
The primary culprits in transmitting this disease were Oriental Rat Fleas carried on the back of black rats.

4. Why is it called “Black Death”?
The black death got its name from the deep purple, almost black discoloration.
Victims usually died the same day symptoms appeared. In some cities, as many as 800 people died every day.

5. The Black Death The Black Death came in three forms: 1. bubonic
2. pneumonic
3. septicemic

6. Bubonic Plague Bacterial infection of the lymph nodes
First signs were bulboes or swollen and blackened areas around the neck, armpits, and groin
Those infected died within four to seven days.

7. The Different Types of Plague
Pneumonic Plague
second most commonly seen form of the Black Death
Mortality rate was 90-95% (if treated today the mortality rate would be 5-10%).
Infected the lungs
Septicemic Plague
Most rare form
Mortality was close to 100% (even today there is no treatment).
Symptoms were a high fever and skin turning deep shades of purple.

8. Spread of The Black Death
Bubonic plague was spread by rats infested with fleas carrying a deadly bacterium
Italian merchants brought the plague from the Black Sea region

9. Spread of the Bubonic Plague
Usually, the path of the Bubonic plague followed trade routes

10. How did the Black Death spread?

11. Cures?
Medieval people did not know about germs causing disease. They did not understand that plague was spread by rats and fleas. They thought that people’s bodies were poisoned.
If the swellings burst and the poison came out people sometimes survived. It seemed sensible to draw out the poison.

13. What were the symptoms of the plague?

14. Impacts of the Black Death
Out of a total European population of 75 million, possibly as many as 38 million people died of the plague between
some Italian cities lost more than half their population
Entire villages in England and Germany disappeared

15. Impacts of the Black Death
People at the time didn’t know what caused the plague
Punishment from God?
Caused by the devil?
Anti-Semitism
Jewish population accused of poisoning wells

16. Impacts of the Black Death
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Economic consequences:
Trade declined
Shortage of workers = people started demanding more money (rise in the price of labor)
Less people = less demand for food

17. Plague Today
Today, modern antibiotics are effective against plague, but if an infected person is not treated promptly, the disease is likely to cause illness or death.
In the United States, the last urban plague epidemic occurred in Los Angeles in
Since then, human plague in the United States has occurred as mostly scattered cases in rural areas (an average of 10 to 15 persons each year).
Globally, the World Health Organization reports 1,000 to 3,000 cases of plague every year.

19. LETS SING A LITTLE SONG!!!!
Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of posies; ashes, ashes, we all fall down!!!!!

20. A pocket full of posies:
Ring around the rosy:
Rosary beads give you God's help.
A pocket full of posies:
Used to stop the odor of rotting bodies which was at one point thought to cause the plague, it was also used widely by doctors to protect them from the infected plague patients.
Ashes, ashes:
The church burned the dead when burying them became to laborious.
We all fall down:
The people died.

22. Your Assignment!!!!
Pretend you are a doctor in the Middle Ages during an out break of the Plague. Write down a journal entry detailing what you have seen and experienced during 1 day. BE CREATIVE!!!!! Turn it in when you are finished.