The Black Death

Open Ended

What does this source tell you about the black death? What do you think is happening here?

​The Ghost Ships Arrive

​The Ghost Ships Arrive

The Ghost Ships Arrive

The Black Death arrived in Europe by sea in October 1347 when 12 trading ships docked at the Sicilian port of Messina. The people who gathered on the docks to greet the ships were met with a horrifying surprise: Most of the sailors aboard the ships were dead, and those who were still alive were gravely ill. They were overcome with fever, unable to keep food down and delirious from pain. Strangest of all, they were covered in mysterious black boils that oozed blood and pus and gave their illness its name: the “Black Death.” The Sicilian authorities hastily ordered the fleet of “death ships” out of the harbor, but it was too late: Over the next five years, the mysterious Black Death would kill more than 20 million people in Europe–almost one-third of the continent’s population.

Multiple Choice

Where did the Black Death originate?

• India

• Egypt

• Russia

• China

Multiple Choice

In what year did the Black Death arrive in western Europe?

• 1322

• 1347

• 1453

• 1476

Multiple Select

SELECT ALL of the common bubonic plague symptoms:

• buboes

• fever

• chills

• headache

• myocarditis

Multiple Choice

The Black death killed about

• 1,000,000 people

• 20,000,000 people

• 200,000,000 people

• 10,000 people

Multiple Choice

What does 'pneumonically' mean?

• Through the air

• Through the bites of rats

• Musically pleasing

• Sickness

Multiple Select

Which of the following were consequences of the fact that people didn't understand the cause of the Black Death? (choose all correct answers)

• Women were more likely to die than men

• It was difficult for people to avoid contracting the disease

• It was difficult to find a cure for the disease

• Kings were more likely to die than peasants

Multiple Choice

How is the plague treated today?

• Vaccines

• Antivirals

• Vitamins

• Antibiotics

Multiple Choice

What were NOT symptoms of the Bubonic plague?

• Hair falling out

• Bubos' on the skin

• High fever

• Skin turned grey/black

Multiple Choice

Which of the following did not carry the Bubonic Plague?

• Fleas

• Flies

• Rats

• Humans

​Effects of the Black Death on Society

After the worst part was over, things started to change. Since there were fewer people to work on farms or in shops, the ones who were left could ask for more money for their work. This meant that regular people started to have a bit more power and money than before.

Multiple Choice

What were the short-term effects of the Black Death?

• Decreased population and abandoned fields

• Increased power for the Church

• Rise of new monarchies

• Expansion of trade routes

Multiple Choice

How did the Black Death impact the power of regular people?

• They became less important

• They gained more power and money

• They were unaffected

• They lost their jobs

​Long-Term Effects on the Church

Before the Black Death, people in medieval Europe really trusted the Church. They believed it had answers to everything, including illnesses. But when the Black Death came, even the prayers and promises of the Church couldn't stop it. This made people start questioning the Church's power and knowledge. They wondered why the Church couldn't protect them or explain why this was happening. This led to people starting to think differently about religion and the Church's role in their lives.

Multiple Choice

How did the Black Death affect people's trust in the Church?

• People trusted the Church even more

• People started questioning the Church's power and knowledge

• People stopped going to church

• The Church became more powerful

​Long-Term Effects on the Monarchy

The monarchy, meaning kings and queens, also faced challenges. Before the Black Death, kings and queens were super powerful, and people usually didn't question them. But after the Black Death, because there were fewer people, the ones who survived started to feel more important and wanted more say in how things were run. This put pressure on monarchies to change. People began to demand more rights and a bigger voice in government. Kings and queens had to start listening more to their subjects and share some of their power.

Multiple Choice

What long-term changes were brought about by the Black Death?

• Better rights for workers and changes in government

• Decreased availability of land

• Increased power for the Church

• Expansion of trade routes

Multiple Choice

What pressure did the Black Death put on monarchies?

• People demanded more rights and a bigger voice in government

• Monarchies were overthrown

• Monarchies faced no challenges

• Monarchies became more powerful