Heather Perona (single).

1. The Black Plague
By Heather Perona

2. Where did the Black Plague Originate?
• In the early 1330s, the black
plague, which was commonly
referred to as the “bubonic
plague”, originated in China.
– Due to the country’s influence
on world trade, the outbreak of
the plague was able to spread
into Western Asia and Europe.
• The point of origin of the bubonic
plague in Europe is said to be
Sicily, an island off of the coast of
Italy, in October or 1347 after
Italian merchant ships came in
contact with Chinese merchants.

3. Reign of Terror
• The bubonic plague
experienced its first outbreak
in Europe in 1348 after
reaching the shores of Italy
the previous year.
– In Medieval England, the
black plague continued to infect
the population the greatest
between 1348 and 1350, in
which 1.5 million of the 4
million people living in
England died from the disease.
• The European population
experienced a sharp decrease
in its numbers…
– 1347- 75 million total
– 1352 – 50 million total

4. Contracting the Plague
Yersina pestis, the The bacterium is
bacteria responsible for consumed by fleas
the bubonic through the blood they
plague, infects the skin suck; from there, the
of hosts so that once a infected flea attaches to
flea bites the animal, a rodents for
direct link between the transportation.
flea and the bacteria is
created.
Humans were bit by the
infected fleas. This direct
Rats and other rodents
contact allowed the
carried the infected fleas.
bacteria to flow into the
These rats were very
blood stream.
common in towns and
cities, which were the main
sites for the spread of the
bubonic plague.
Death was nearly guaranteed for those with the bubonic plague. After two to three days of
enduring painful symptoms, the body shuts down, and the victim’s body is burned to stop the
spread of the sickness.

5. Common Symptoms
• Painful swelling of the lymph
nodes, commonly referred to as buboes
– Appeared in the armpits, legs, neck, and
groin
– Buboes were of a red color at first, but
then turned a dark purple or black shade
over time
• Very high fever (100-105 degrees
Fahrenheit)
• Delirium
• Nausea
• Bleeding under the skin
• Nervous spasms
• Muscular pains
• Bleeding in the lungs
• Mental disorientation
• Fatigue
The average victim survived for 2-4 days.

6. Doctor’s Orders!
The Typical Prescription for a
Black Plague Victim:
• A concoction of
rose, lavender, sage, and bay (for
headaches); wormwood, mint, and
balm (for nausea)
• Be sure to lance the buboes that
appear to have a black tint.
– A black blood should be released; a
vile smelling aroma should be
present.
– After the fluid is released, apply a
warm poultice of butter, onion, and
garlic.
• Final method: pray…
• Always be sure to burn the bodies
of the victims so that the disease
does not “spread”!!!

7. The Effects of the Plague on Europe
• Between the years 1347 and 1352, nearly twenty-five million
died of the black plague.
– This is equivalent to about 1/3rd of Europe’s entire population.
• This lack of Europeans in the cities and towns led to a sharp
decrease in labor around the continent.
– Workers began demanding higher wages for their work, but
landlords refused to respond to those demands until the production
of crops lowered drastically.
• Lower class citizens wanted to leave villages to find a better
deal from a lord; this led to a decrease of the effect of the Feudal
system. To curb peasants from moving out of villages under
the king’s rule, the government induced the Statute of
Labourers in 1351, which stated that peasants could not be paid
more than the wages paid in 1346 and that they could not leave
their village.
– Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 resulted from the impact of England’s
social structure from the bubonic plague.

8. Bibliography
• "The Black Death, 1348," EyeWitness to
History, http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/plague.ht
m (2001).
• “The Black Death of 1348 to 1350,” History Learning
Site, http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/black_death
_of_1348_to_1350.htm (2011).
• “The Black Death: Bubonic Plague,” The Middle
Ages, http://www.themiddleages.net/plague.html
(2010)
• “Black Death,” The Middle Ages
Website, http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/black-
death.htm (2008)