Ken Follett’s Journey into the Dark Ages:
BLACK DEATH
PROGRAMME LENGTH
1 hour
SCREENING DETAILS
Monday 12 May at 9.30am EST/ NZ
The historical novelist Ken Follett narrates this program. Using the “life stories” of
three different characters from different backgrounds Follett explores the impact of the
bubonic plague on 14th century Europe.
The program explores the origins, the spread and the impact of the plague. It also
provides the latest research on the cause of the plague. Follett’s conclusion that the
“Black Death” was a ‘revolutionary’ moment in European history could spark some
interesting discussions.
This will be useful for those doing a Depth Study on the “Black Death”. For general
interest it could be useful for students interested in how History is generated and the
role of historical fiction.
Denis Mootz
STAYING FOCUSED.
This is the data collection stage of the activity.
The detailed questioning is designed to ensure that students decode the visual and aural materials
presented to them in the video.
The video programs can be stopped at the end of each section. This will allow students to share and
discuss answers.
Introduction.
Note the date of the outbreak of the bubonic plague in Europe.
Note the date of the negative impact of the bubonic plague in Europe.
Note the date of the positive impact of the bubonic plague in Europe.
Note the people chosen by Follett to be the subject of the program.
Act 1.
Note the events of late Autumn 1349 in the house of William Cramner in Walsham Le Willowe.
What did his granddaughters suspect? Result? Implications?
When and how did the “great pestilence” reach Europe? Result?
Note details of 14th century Florence.
When did the plague reach Florence?
Why was Florence ideal for the spread of the plague?
How did the city authorities believe caused the plague? Result?
Note details of the symptoms of the plague.
Note the description provided by Giovanni Boccaccio.
Note details of Dr Francesco Gerrini.
How did he first attempt to treat the plague? Result?
Why were leeches a common treatment for illness?
What else did he try? Result?
Why did the monks in the hospital refuse to visit patients?
Note Boccaccio’s description of the spread of the plague? Result?
Note the theories of the spread of diseases.
Why were hospitals more like chapels? Result?
Note the typical cure from the middle ages. Implications?
Why was Gerrini different from other doctors? Result?
In what sense were his methods ‘advanced’?
Note the description by Professor Krause of the origin of the bubonic plague.
How was the plague spread from person to person?
How did people react to the prospect of death?
Note Boccaccio’s description of the reaction of some Florentines. Result?
Act 2.
Note details of 14th century Winchester.
Why would people have known the plague was ‘coming’? Implications?
What was the medieval explanation for the outbreak of plague? Result?
Who did people expect to protect them against the plague? Result?
Note details of Brother Ralph de Staunton.
Why was being a monk “a pretty good job”? Result?
Why did death dominate the medieval mind?
What is purgatory?
Why did the Bishop of Winchester leave town? Implications?
How sensible was the order to conduct a weekly procession?
Why was Ralph de Staunton’s job the “most dangerous in the world”? Result?
Why did Ralph de Staunton stay? Result?
Why did the Church lose its credibility? Result? Implications?
Note the impact of the plague on Winchester.
Act 3.
What has new (2011) DNA research suggested about the plague? Implications?
Note the situation in the village of Walsham Le Willowe.
Why was the arrival of the plague terrifying?
How did the villagers react? Result?
Note details of Cramner Lodge.
Note the fate of the Cramner family.
Note the impact in Walsham of the plague.
Note the impact in Europe by 1350. Result?
How did the Cramner survivors, Olivia and Hilary fare?
Why had their life changed? Result?
Why was Olivia in trouble in 1337? Result?
Why was there now a labour market in Europe?
Note the uprising of 1381. Result?
How did the Cramner women exploit their new circumstances? Result?
In what sense was the Church “shaken” by the plague?
Note the impact on the monastery in Winchester. Implications?
What was the impact of the recurring plagues of the 15th and 16th century? Result?
Act 4.
Why was Florence a “long term winner” after the plague?
Why was money available for the people of Florence? Result?
In what sense was the plague an important step in European intellectual life?
How did Francesco Gerrini investigate the causes of the plague? Implications?
EXTENSIONS.
Useful, interesting, challenging, books, sources and websites will provide materials to supplement and
complement the History presented in the video program.
The data collected here should be used in the notemaking below.
Some useful Internet sites:
Middle Ages: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_ages
http://www.themiddleages.net/index.html
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.asp
Bubonic Plague: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubonic_plague
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yersinia_pestis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theories_of_the_Black_Death
http://www.cdc.gov/plague/
The Black Death: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death
http://www.the-orb.net/textbooks/westciv/blackdeath.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consequences_of_the_Black_Death
http://www.themiddleages.net/plague.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death_Jewish_persecutions
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/plague.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death_in_medieval_culture
http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/west/10/FC71
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnolo_di_Tura
http://www.lordsandladies.org/black-death.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_de_Pizan
http://www.history.com/topics/black-death
http://www.worldology.com/Europe/Europe_Articles/black_death_plague.htm
http://eh.net/encyclopedia/the-economic-impact-of-the-black-death/
http://www.medieval-life.net/black_death.htm
http://www.wzaponline.com/BlackDeath.pdf
Florence: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Florence
http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/osheim/marchione.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cronaca_fiorentina
Boccaccio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Boccaccio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decameron
http://www.history.vt.edu/Burr/Boccaccio.html
Winchester: http://www.localhistories.org/winchester.html
http://www.britainexpress.com/History/medieval/black-death.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/black_impact_01.shtml
http://www.historyextra.com/feature/black-death
http://www.archaeologyuk.org/ba/ba61/feat1.shtml
Medieval medicine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_medicine_of_Western_Europe
http://www.mostly-medieval.com/explore/med.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_de_Chauliac
http://www.thefinertimes.com/Middle-Ages/doctors-in-the-middle-ages.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/shp/middleages/medievaldoctorsrev1.shtml
Medieval Church: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_and_state_in_medieval_Europe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Clement_VI
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedictine
http://www.ocs.cnyric.org/webpages/phyland/files/the%20church%20in%20medieval%20life.pdf
Closer to Home:
http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/museum/mwmuseum/index.php/Bubonic_Plague_comes_to_Sydney_in_
1900
NOTEMAKING.
This is the collation stage of the activity. Students need to organise the field of information and begin to
explore its context.
Directions and /or Inquiry questions are provided for notemaking / summary exercises that
will follow the viewing of the video.
The materials / data for the summaries have been collected above.
The activity could be done in teams, groups, or by individuals, or as a class with teacher direction.
1. Draw up a timeline / chronological chart of the events described and discussed in this program.
2. Note details of the bubonic plague.
3. Note details of the origins and spread of the “Black Death”.
4. Note details of the immediate impact of the “Black Death” in Europe.
5. Note details of the impact of the “Black Death” on the population of Europe.
6. Note details of the social impact of the “Black Death” on Europe.
7. Note details of the economic impact of the “Black Death” on Europe.
8. Note details of the impact of the “Black Death” on the Church in Europe.
9. Note details of the impact of the “Black Death” on the intellectual life of Europe.
10. What does Ken Follett’s background as a novelist contribute to this program?
ISSUES & INQUIRY.
Key issues and inquiry questions that have been raised by the video are addressed at this stage for
discussion and research.
1.
Why did the Black Death” spread so quickly through Europe?
2.
In what sense was the “Black Death” important in bringing change to medieval Europe?
PROBLEMS of EVIDENCE.
Questions of reliability and validity of the perspectives, evidence and sources presented in the video
program need to be considered, tested and researched.
1. Why is there debate about the nature of the disease called the “Black Death”?
2. What has modern science and medicine concluded about the bubonic plague?
COMMUNICATING.
The key issues and inquiry questions are potential topics for debate, essay writing, reports, historical
recount and explanation.
1. Write a REPORT on the “Black Death”.
2. Prepare notes (both sides) for a DEBATE of the proposition that
The “Black Death” made the reform of the Church in Europe inevitable.
3. What impact did the “Black Death” have on the lives of the people of medieval Europe?