Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Black Death: Case Study (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Natasha Smith
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
The Black Death - Timeline & Summary
Epidemics of disease were not uncommon in Medieval England. People’s poor hygiene and scientific ignorance meant epidemics destroyed communities. The Black Death was deadly. Historians estimate that half of the population of Europe died of plague by 1351. These figures were despite people following the advice of the Church and physicians. Today, we understand that fleas on rats spread the plague. Medieval priests and physicians did not understand what caused the Black Death. They advised both supernatural and natural treatments. In addition, the government did not believe it was their responsibility to help their own people. Public attitudes slowly began to change after the Black Death subsided in the 1350s. The Church’s power began to decrease. As a result, opportunities emerged to explore alternative explanations to the causes of disease. When widespread plague hit again in 1665, the government increased their involvement to slow the spread of the disease. |
What was the Black Death?
The Black Death was a new plague that originated in the Far East
It came to Europe via Sicily in 1347
The name bubonic plague comes from the main symptom of buboes
Buboes were pus-filled swellings which developed in the hot areas of the body such as the armpits
At the peak of the epidemic, roughly 200 people in London were buried every day
Ideas about Causes of the Black Death
Supernatural Causes
Many people believed the Black Death was a sign of God abandoning humans due to their sins
Christians believe in the idea of a Judgement Day
This is when Jesus would destroy heaven and Earth. He would then raise the dead and judge how morally good the humans had been
From a medieval perspective, it is clear to see how the Black Death could be seen as Judgement Day
People had no scientific knowledge of the actual cause
In 1345, there was an unusual positioning of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn which people believed was a sign of bad things to come
In Europe, many people believed that Jewish people caused the Black Death
In England, the Jewish population had been exiled in the 13th century
The Jewish population could not be blamed for the Black Death in England
Natural Causes
People believed that breathing in impure air corrupted the body’s humours
The miasma was thought to originate from the fumes of volcanoes and earthquakes located in other countries
This bad air came from rubbish on the streets, swamps and dead bodies
What were the Symptoms of the Black Death?
Usually, it took three to five days for victims of the Black Death to die
The Black Death affected a patient's lungs meaning that they struggled to breathe
Some patients suffocated on their own blood
Victims also suffered fever, buboes, chest pains and coughing up blood
Treatments from apothecaries or physicians could also result in death
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You may have heard about pneumonic plague as well as bubonic plague. The buboes victims developed were distinctive to this strain of plague. Pneumonic plague solely attacked the victim’s lungs. They were also spread in different ways. Bubonic plague was carried by fleas on rats. Pneumonic plague was contagious and passed from victim to victim by sneezing and coughing. Both plagues were likely in circulation in 1348. However, the examiners are clear that they only want to hear about symptoms of the bubonic plague.
Worked Example
Describe one feature of the symptoms of the Black Death
2 marks
Answer:
Victims developed buboes (1); these were sore, pus-filled growth in the armpits (1)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
When answering ‘Describe one feature of…’ questions, two marks are given to you for:
Identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic (1)
Describe - add some specific own knowledge about the point you have made (1)
This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks.
Treatments of the Black Death
Supernatural Treatments
People believed that God sent the Black Death as a punishment. The Church advised that everyone should:
Confess their sins
Pray for forgiveness
Ordinary people felt helpless to treat their symptoms
They believed it was God’s judgement about whether they lived or died
They were too scared to challenge this by seeking treatment
Natural Treatments
Physicians tried bleeding and purging but this did not work
Often victims died quicker
Strong-smelling herbs like aloe were recommended to clean the bad air as well as burning a fire and boiling vinegar
As theriaca worked on multiple illnesses, it was often prescribed for the Black Death
Some physicians lanced buboes
This was much more effective than other methods because it removed the infection and encouraged healing
Apothecaries sold herbal remedies but most did not work
Preventing the Black Death
Supernatural Prevention
Priests advised that people should:
Pray to God
Fast
Go on a pilgrimage
Self-flagellate (whipping yourself) to show God how sorry they were
People that did this are called flagellants
Examiner Tips and Tricks
In an exam question, do not combine flagellants and the Church as the same religious group. Christians could self-flagellate to atone for sins. Flagellants gathered groups of 200-300 people when they travelled through towns and villages. The presence of flagellants often triggered violent attacks on minority groups, blaming them for causing the Black Death. The actions of flagellants threatened to undermine the authority of the Church. This led to Pope Clement VI excommunicating flagellants in October 1349.
Natural Prevention
Many people tried natural prevention to try and avoid catching the Black Death
National prevention included:
Moving to cleaner air in the countryside to avoid miasma
Carrying flowers or herbs and holding them under their noses to ward off miasma
Avoiding bathing
It was believed that water could open the pores, allowing the bad air into the body
Joyful things like listening to cheerful music
Government Action
New quarantine laws were introduced to prevent people from moving around the country too much
People new to an area had to stay away from other people for 40 days
Gloucester attempted to close itself off but people ignored this
Local governments stopped cleaning the streets
They believed that the bad smell would drive away the miasma causing the plague
The Government considered banning preaching and religious ceremonies to stop the spread of the plague
The Church’s power was too immense to allow this to happen
The rich and the clergy continued as normal
They were more powerful than the local governments and could ignore their rules
King Edward III, the monarch at the time of the Black Death, did not enforce any laws to protect his citizens
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