8 Interesting facts about the Black Death
1.
The Black Death spread across Europe, killing as many as 2/3’s of its population, between 75 and 200
million people.
2.
Jews were often accused of causing the plague to destroy the Christians, even though people of all
religions suffered. Some Jews were badly tortured before ‘admitting’ poisoning wells, with thousands
being exported or killed. In the city of Strassburg in Germany, Jews were given the choice of either
becoming Christian or be burned on rows of stakes on a platform in the city’s burial ground. About
2,000 were killed.
3.
Bathing during the plague was discouraged for two reasons. First, along with changing clothes, it was a
sign of vanity, which invited the wrath of God and the punishment of sin. Second, bathing was believed
to open the pores, making it easier for bad air to enter and exit the body, spreading disease. The
latter belief was common throughout Europe well into the nineteenth century.
4.
English soldiers carried the disease from France to England, beginning an especially devastating round
of plague in England that some estimates claim killed as much as 75% of the population in many areas
of England.
5.
So devastating were the consequences of the Black Death that the healthy people desperately tried to
avoid the sick people. Doctors refused to attend the patients and priests declined administering last
rites. Even worse, healthy people from families would often leave their infected loved ones to die and
escaped to other places.
6.
Every class of people were affected by the plague. While the poor were definitely the hardest hit, the
elites did not escape either. Many royal people from England to Naples succumbed to the Black Death.
7.
As the population decreased and society fell apart, old rules were ignored. The Catholic church lost
power, which helped lead to the rival Protestant church.
8.
Madagascar was hit by the plague in 1995. This was an interesting case because this outbreak took
place after the bacteria became drug-resistant. In 2015, Madagascar was once again hit by a second
outbreak. Despite the fact that there are advanced medicines available today, the risk of an outbreak
still lingers!
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Extended reading about the Black Death
1. 60 second guide to the Black Death:
http://www.historyextra.com/feature/your-60-second-guide-factsblack-death-how-when-why
2. The Black Death interactive quiz:
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/teachers/~/link.asp
x?_id=80A6A64BFB1345AD97D108782296676F&_z=z
3. The Black Death of 1348 to 1350:
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval-england/the-blackdeath-of-1348-to-1350/
4. Many different stories from people who witnessed the Black Death:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/black_01.shtml
5. Plague doctors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_doctor
6. Articles, videos and speeches: http://www.history.com/topics/blackdeath/videos/the-black-death-and-the-byzantine-empire
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