1. What are the children doing in this picture?

2. Have you ever played this game?

3. What is the mood expressed in this picture?

In 1347 A.D., a great plague swept over Europe Out of a total

European population of 75 million, possibly as many as 38 million people died of the plague between 1347-1351

The black death got its name from the deep purple, almost black discoloration.

Victims usually died the same day symptoms appeared. In some cities, as many as 800 people died every day.

The Black Death came in three forms:

1. bubonic2. pneumonic3. septicemic

Bacterial infection of the lymph nodes

First signs were bulboes or swollen and blackened areas around the neck, armpits, and groin

Those infected died within four to seven days.

Pneumonic Plaguesecond most commonly seen form of the Black

DeathMortality rate was 90-95% (if treated today the

mortality rate would be 5-10%). Infected the lungs

Septicemic PlagueMost rare form Mortality was close to 100% (even today there

is no treatment). Symptoms were a high fever and skin turning

deep shades of purple.

Bubonic plague was spread by rats infested with fleas carrying a deadly bacterium

Italian merchants brought the plague from the Black Sea region

Usually, the path of the Bubonic plague followed trade routes

Medieval people did not know about germs causing disease. They did not understand that plague was spread by rats and fleas. They thought that people’s bodies were poisoned.

If the swellings burst and the poison came out people sometimes survived. It seemed sensible to draw out the poison.

Out of a total European population of 75 million, possibly as many as 38 million people died of the plague between 1347-1351some Italian cities

lost more than half their population

Entire villages in England and Germany disappeared

People at the time didn’t know what caused the plaguePunishment from God?Caused by the devil?

Anti-SemitismJewish population accused of poisoning wells

Economic consequences:Trade declinedShortage of workers =

people started demanding more money (rise in the price of labor)

Less people = less demand for food

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=F5EFAAE7-C76A-4083-A115-4E475630A369&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US

Today, modern antibiotics are effective against plague, but if an infected person is not treated promptly, the disease is likely to cause illness or death.

In the United States, the last urban plague epidemic occurred in Los Angeles in 1924-25.

Since then, human plague in the United States has occurred as mostly scattered cases in rural areas (an average of 10 to 15 persons each year).

Globally, the World Health Organization reports 1,000 to 3,000 cases of plague every year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFO2iepmtjU

Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of posies; ashes, ashes, we all fall down!!!!!

Ring around the rosy: Rosary beads give you God's help.

A pocket full of posies: Used to stop the odor of rotting bodies which

was at one point thought to cause the plague, it was also used widely by doctors to protect them from the infected plague patients.

Ashes, ashes: The church burned the dead when burying them

became too laborious.We all fall down:

The people died.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZy6XilXDZQ&list=PL43055A5437F3B781

Work on your homework: Black Death document analysis questions!

Pretend you are a doctor in the Middle Ages during an outbreak of the Plague. Write down a journal entry detailing what you have seen and experienced . BE CREATIVE!!!!! Turn it in when you are finished.