Aim: How much did the Black Death change Medieval Europe?

1. Aim: How much did the Black Death change Medieval Europe? Do Now: Who is brave enough to play ring around the Rosy? Ring around the rosyA pocketful of posies"Ashes, Ashes"We all fall down! NY State Standards 2, 3 RS 7, 8, WS 2

2. I What was the Black Death? The Black Death was a painful, deadly disease. The worst outbreak came from Asia and spread across Western Europe, killing 1/3 of the population.

3. II Causes of the Black Death • The Bubonic Plague “Black Death” was spread by fleas on rats. • It was first reported in Asia in the 13th century. The Black Death then traveled across the Silk Road and by ships to Africa and Europe. “[The Mongols] ordered corpses to be placed in catapults and lobbed into the city in hopes that the intolerable stench would kill everyone inside.“ – Gabrielle de Mussis, 14th century

4. Due to a reduction in temperature (known as the Little Ice Age 14-15th centuries), more people were staying indoors. Combined with poor hygiene and streets full of garbage, the Black Death spread rapidly in Europe.

7. III Symptoms of the Black Death A) There were two main forms of the disease. 1. Blood infection: Spread by physical contact. 2. Pneumonic: spread by coughing, sneezing, breathing. B) Symptoms: Black swellings size of an egg that oozed blood and pus. Pain. Foul smell. C) Death usually occurred 1-3 days after catching the disease.

8. Modern Day Black Death Victims

9. IV Treating the Black Death • Most doctors in Western Europe during the Middle Ages had very little training, and were unaware of hygiene or germs. The most common “treatment” was to bleed you by cutting your skin or by applying leeches. Since Ancient Greece, doctors believes that we all have 4 humours (liquids) in our bodies; yellow bile, black bile, phlegm, and blood. Illness occurs due to an imbalance, which is why you would be bled to restore balance to your body. Why might this not be a good idea?

10. Treating the Black Death Continued… B) Doctors wore masks filled with dried flowers & herbs to protect themselves. C) Priests and monks offered prayers to God. Gypsies used a mixture of cinnamon & clove oil on their hands. It had anti-bacterial effects!

11. Treating the Black Death Continued… D) Flagellants would travel from town to town, whipping themselves. They believed the Black Death was due to people’s sins. If they punished themselves, God would end the plague.

12. IV Disposal of the Bodies • Many towns had to dig mass graves due to the vast amount of bodies. *Exposure to the bodies often led to more people getting the Black Death • Due to increasing numbers of the dead, the Church began to burn the bodies.

14. Mass Grave of Black Death Victims, Czech Republic

15. V Consequences of the Black Death • Jews were accused of poisoning wells and tortured until they confessed. 16,000 Jews were massacred in the town of Strasbourg alone. Anti-Semitism was often due to economic reasons; as Christians believed that money lending was sinful, Jews had been pushed into the banking business.

16. Consequences of the Black Death Continued… B) 1/3 of Europe died. 75 Million died worldwide. C) Due to a labor shortage, many lords switched from farming crops to raising sheep (requires less human labor). As a result, many serfs were able to leave the manor.

17. VI The Black Death Still Exists Today Approximately 2,500 cases of the Black Death occur annually worldwide, usually due to contact with rodents. Only 5-10 cases occur annually in the U.S. Do NOT hug this prairie dog! Paul Gaylord, Oregon, recovering from the Black Death, 2012

18. Key Vocabulary • Black Death • Bubonic Plague • Pneumonic • Humours • Leeches • Flagellants • Mass Graves