3.4 The Black Death

Which practice is an example of the poor hygienic practices in the Middle Ages?

• frequent bathing

• the religious act of self-punishment

• the dumping of garbage and waste in the street

• the washing of clothes and linens in the nearby rivers

Which idea is best illustrated by the map?

• In some cities, the death rate exceeded 50 percent.

• The plague mostly spread through European ports.

• The plague had two forms in which it could spread from person to person.

• Some towns were entirely wiped out, while other neighboring towns were spared.

About what proportion of Europe's 14th-century population died as a result of outbreaks of the bubonic plague?

• one-half

• one-third

• one-tenth

• one-fourth

Which group most benefited from the economic impact of outbreaks of the bubonic plague?

• peasants

• merchants

• landowners

• church officials

Which statement best replaces the question mark in the graphic organizer?

• Flea from infected rat bites person.

• Person sneezes in a crowded market.

• Rats breed in garbage discarded by humans.

• Sailors on ship carrying infected rats arrive in a new port.

During the 1400s, about how often did outbreaks of the bubonic plague reemerge?

• every year

• every 10 years

• every 25 years

• at random intervals

Which statement explains why landowners began paying wages to peasants who survived outbreaks of the bubonic plague?

• There was a shortage of farm labor.

• Peasants were become better educated.

• Survivors were considered lucky and favored by God.

• There was less land available to cultivate and more money in circulation.