NEWYORKSTATE SOCIAL STUDIES RESOURCETOOLKIT

T H I S W O R K I S L I C E N S E D U N D E R A C R E A T I V E C OMMON S A T T R I B U T I O N - N O N C OMM E R C I A L - S H A R E A L I K E 4 . 0 I N T E R N A T I O N A L L I C E N S E . 1

6thGradeBlackDeathInquiry

CanDiseaseChangetheWorld?

MapdepictingthespreadoftheBlackDeath.CreatedfortheNewYorkK-12SocialStudiesToolkitbyAgatePublishing.

SupportingQuestions

1. WhatwastheBlackDeath?2. HowdidtheBlackDeathspreadsoquickly?3. HowdidtheBlackDeathaffectpeopleinthe14thcentury?

NEWYORKSTATE SOCIAL STUDIES RESOURCETOOLKIT

T H I S W O R K I S L I C E N S E D U N D E R A C R E A T I V E C OMMON S A T T R I B U T I O N - N O N C OMM E R C I A L - S H A R E A L I K E 4 . 0 I N T E R N A T I O N A L L I C E N S E . 2

6thGradeBlackDeathInquiry

CanDiseaseChangetheWorld?NewYorkStateSocialStudiesFrameworkKeyIdea&Practices

6.7INTERACTIONSACROSSTHEEASTERNHEMISPHERE(ca.600CE–ca.1450):Tradenetworkspromotedtheexchangeanddiffusionoflanguage,beliefsystems,tools,intellectualideas,inventions,anddiseases.Gathering,Using,andInterpretingEvidence GeographicReasoning ComparisonandContextualization

StagingtheQuestion Discussanexampleofarecentoutbreakofinfectiousdiseaseandhowpublicofficialsrespondedtotheoutbreak.

SupportingQuestion1 SupportingQuestion2 SupportingQuestion3

WhatwastheBlackDeath? HowdidtheBlackDeathspreadsoquickly?

HowdidtheBlackDeathaffectpeopleinthe14thcentury?

FormativePerformanceTask

FormativePerformanceTask

FormativePerformanceTask

WriteadescriptionoftheBlackDeaththatincludesitssymptomsandwhereoutbreaksoccurredinEuropeandAsia.

ConstructadiagramillustratinghowtheBlackDeathspread.

CreateanannotatedillustrationdepictinghowtheBlackDeathaffecteddifferentgroupsofpeopleinthe14thcentury.

FeaturedSources FeaturedSources FeaturedSources

SourceA:ExcerptsfromDecameronSourceB:IllustrationoftheBlackDeath

SourceA:PlagueEcologyvisualSourceB:MapdepictingspreadoftheBlackDeath

SourceA:BubonicplaguestatisticsSourceB:IllustrationofthepersecutionofJewsduringtheBlackDeathSourceC:SocialandEconomicEffectsofthePlague

SummativePerformanceTask

ARGUMENTCandiseasechangetheworld?Constructanargument(e.g.,detailedoutline,poster,essay)thatdiscussestheimpactoftheBlackDeathusingspecificclaimsandrelevantevidencefromhistoricalsourceswhileacknowledgingcompetingviewsthatpeoplehadaboutthenatureoftheBlackDeathinthe14thcentury.

TakingInformedAction

UNDERSTANDFindcurrentexamplesofhowweprevent,detect,andminimizethespreadofdiseasesinhomes,schools,andcommunities(e.g.,washinghands,vaccinations).ASSESSThinkofatleastonewaywemightimprovethepreventionorcontrolthespreadofdiseasesinhomes,schools,andcommunities.ACTCreateapublicserviceannouncementtoadvocateforimprovedmethodsofprevention,detection,andcontrolofdiseases.

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Overview

InquiryDescription

Thisinquiryisframedbythecompellingquestion“Candiseasechangetheworld?"Amongthemanycatastrophicglobalpandemicsinhistory,perhapsnoneachievedthenotorietyoftheBlackDeath.TheBlackDeathwasamassiveoutbreakofthebubonicplaguecausedbyinfectiousbacteria.Thoughtbyscientiststohavebeenspreadbycontaminatedfleasonratsand/orotherrodents,theBlackDeathquicklydecimatedentirefamiliesandcommunities.Indoingso,theBlackDeathledmorethanoneobserverofthetimetoponderwhethertheapocalypsehadbegun.TheBlackDeathbeganandfirstspreadontheSilkRoadsthroughcentralAsiaintheearly14thcentury,andbymid-centurymovedviamerchantshipsintoNorthAfricaandEurope,whereitwouldkillnearlyone-halfofthepopulation.Ittookalmost150yearsforEurope’spopulationtorecover.Byinvestigatingthecompellingquestion“Candiseasechangetheworld?”studentsconsiderthecauses,symptoms,andreasonsfortherapidgeographicexpansionofthediseaseandhowthispandemicaffectedpeopleofthe14thcenturyandbeyond.Throughtheirinvestigationofsourcesinthisinquiry,studentsshoulddevelopanunderstandingoftheconsequencesoftheBlackDeathandaninformedawarenessoftheimportanceofpreparingforfuturediseasesandpossiblepandemics.

InadditiontotheKeyIdealistedearlier,thisinquiryhighlightsthefollowingConceptualUnderstanding:

• 6.7aTheSilkRoads,theIndianOcean,andtheTrans-SaharanroutesformedthemajorAfro-EurasiantradenetworksconnectingtheEastandtheWest.Ideas,people,technologies,products,anddiseasesmovedalongtheseroutes.

NOTE:Thisinquiryisexpectedtotakethreetofive40-minuteclassperiods.Theinquirytimeframecouldexpandifteachersthinktheirstudentsneedadditionalinstructionalexperiences(i.e.,supportingquestions,formativeperformancetasks,andfeaturedsources).Teachersareencouragedtoadapttheinquiriesinordertomeettheneedsandinterestsoftheirparticularstudents.Resourcescanalsobemodifiedasnecessarytomeetindividualizededucationprograms(IEPs)orSection504Plansforstudentswithdisabilities.

StructureoftheInquiry

Inaddressingthecompellingquestion“Candiseasechangetheworld?”studentsworkthroughaseriesofsupportingquestions,formativeperformancetasks,andfeaturedsourcesinordertoconstructanargumentwithevidenceandcounterevidencefromavarietyofsources.

StagingtheCompellingQuestion

Inthisstagingtask,teachersmaybegintheinquirybyhelpingstudentsunderstandthatdiseaseisapartofoureverydaymodernlifeandthattheimplicationsofthecompellingquestion,“Candiseasechangetheworld?”areaswell.Toaccomplishthisgoal,teachersmayengagestudentsinadiscussionaboutarecentoutbreakofinfectiousdisease(e.g.,SARS,Ebola,MERS)andhowpublicofficialsrespondedtotheoutbreak.

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SupportingQuestion1

Thefirstsupportingquestion—“WhatwastheBlackDeath?”—introducesstudentstothecatastrophicpandemicknownastheBlackDeath.TheformativeperformancetaskcallsonstudentstodescribetheBlackDeathbyfocusingonthesymptomsofthediseaseandthegeographicareasmostaffectedbyit.FeaturedSourceAisaneyewitnessaccountfrom14th-centurywriterGiovanniBoccaccioaboutthesymptomsoftheBlackDeath.FeaturedSourceBisapaintingfrom1411oftwopatientssufferingfromthedisease.

SupportingQuestion2

Thesecondsupportingquestion—“HowdidtheBlackDeathspreadsoquickly?”—invitesstudentstoexaminewhytheBlackDeathbecamesowidespreadandhowitwaspossibleforthemortalityratetobesohigh.TheformativeperformancetaskcallsonstudentstoconstructadiagramdepictinghowtheBlackDeathspread.FeaturedSourcesAandBarevisualsaboutthespreadoftheBlackDeath.Thefirstisacontemporaryillustrationshowingthegeneralpatternoftransmissionofplaguebacteriafromnaturaltohumanenvironments;thesecondisacartoon-stylevisualthatillustratestheroleoffleasandratsinspreadingthedisease.FeaturedSourceCisamapshowingthewaysinwhichthediseasespreadfromAsiatoEuropeinthe1340sandwithinEuropeafter1348.

SupportingQuestion3

Thethirdsupportingquestion—“HowdidtheBlackDeathaffectpeopleinthe14thcentury?—asksstudentstoexplorehowtheBlackDeathchangedpeople’slivesandhowthoseaffectedbytheplaguerespondedtoit.TheformativeperformancetaskcallsonstudentstocreateanannotatedillustrationdepictinghowtheBlackDeathaffecteddifferentgroupsofpeopleinthe14thcentury.ThefeaturedsourcesincludeasetofgraphsillustratingthedramaticdeclineinpopulationasaresultoftheBlackDeathandapaintingandaccompanyingtextaboutthefalseclaimthatJewishpeopleweretoblamefortheBlackDeath.ThefinalfeaturedsourceisatextthatshowstheeffectoftheBlackPlagueontheEuropeaneconomyandfeudalsociety.

SummativePerformanceTask

Atthispointintheinquiry,studentshaveexaminedthecausesandsymptomsoftheBlackDeath.Studentshavealsoexaminedwhere,when,andhowthediseasespreadasrapidlyasitdidandhowthepeoplewereaffectedbythiscatastrophicpandemic.Studentsshouldbeabletodemonstratethebreadthoftheirunderstandingandtheabilitytouseevidencefrommultiplesourcesbyconstructinganargumentinresponsetothecompellingquestion“Candiseasechangetheworld?”Itisimportanttonotethatstudents’argumentscouldtakeavarietyofforms,includingadetailedoutline,poster,oressay.

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Studentargumentslikelywillvary,butcouldincludethefollowing:

• TheBlackDeathchangedtheworldbyspreadingquicklyfromAsiatoEurope,wherehalfofthepopulationdied.

• TheBlackDeathdidnotchangetheworld,butlargenumbersofJewswereblamedandpersecutedunfairly.• TheshortageoflaborinEuropethatresultedfromtheBlackDeathchangedtheworldbycreatinglabor

unrestandnewsocialarrangements.

StudentshavetheopportunitytoTakeInformedActionbydrawingontheirknowledgeofhowpandemicsspreadandimpactsociety.Studentsshowthattheyunderstandbyfindingcurrentexamplesofhowweprevent,detect,andminimizethespreadofdiseasesinhomes,schools,andcommunities(e.g.washinghands,vaccinations).Theycanthenassessatleastonewaypeoplemightimprovethepreventionorcontrolthespreadofdiseasesinhomes,schools,andcommunities.Andtheycanactbycreatingapublicserviceannouncementtoadvocateforimprovedmethodsofprevention,detection,andcontrolofdiseases.

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SupportingQuestion1

FeaturedSourceSourceA:GiovanniBoccaccio,novelabouttheBlackDeath,Decameron(translatedbyDavidBurr,excerpts),1353

BoccaccioonthePlague

TranslatedbyDavidBurr,HistoryDepartment,VirginiaTech,Blacksburg,VA.

ThefollowingistakenfromGiovanniBoccaccio,theDecameron,Introduction.Boccacciolivedthroughtheplagueandwrotethisdescriptionshortlythereafter,butheborrowedliberallyfromanearlierwriterwhowasdescribingacompletelydifferentplague.

Isay,then,thatintheyear1348aftertheSonofGod'sfruitfulincarnation,intothedistinguishedcityofFlorence,thatmostbeautifulofItaliancities,thereenteredadeadlypestilence.WhetheronebelievesthatitcamethroughtheinfluenceoftheheavenlybodiesorthatGod,justlyangeredbyouriniquities,sentitforourcorrection,inanycaseithadbegunseveralyearsearlierintheeastandkilledaninnumerablemassofpeople,spreadingsteadilyfromplacetoplaceandgrowingasitmovedwest.

Nohumanwisdomorprovisionwasofanyhelp.Hugeamountsoffilthwereremovedfromthecitybyofficialschargedwiththattask;sickpeoplewereforbiddentoenterthecity;advicewasgivenonhowtostayhealthy;devoutpersonsmadehumblesupplicationtoGodnotoncebutmanytimes,inprocessionsandbyothermeans;butinthespringofthatyearthesadeffectsoftheplaguenonethelessbegantoappearinanalmostmiraculousmanner.Itwasnotasithadbeenintheeast,wherenosebleedshadsignaledthatdeathwasinevitable.Herethesicknessbeganinbothmenandwomenwithswellinginthegroinandarmpits.Thelumpsvariedinsize,somereachingthesizeofanordinaryappleandothersthatofanegg,andthepeoplecommonlycalledthemgavoccioli.Havingbeguninthesetwopartsofthebody,thegavocciolisoonbegantoappearatrandomalloverthebody.Afterthispointthediseasestartedtoalterinnature,withblackorlividspotsappearingonthearms,thethighs,everywhere.Sometimestheywerelargeandwellspaced,othertimessmallandnumerous.Thesewereacertainsignofimpendingdeath,butsowastheswelling.

Nodoctor'sadvice,nomedicineseemedtobeofanyhelp.Eitherthediseasewasincurableorthedoctorssimplydidn'tknowhowtocureit.Manytried,though.Thenumberofdoctorsbecamehugeasamultitudeofpeople,maleandfemale,withnomedicaltrainingwhatsoevertooktheirplacealongsidethosewhowereproperlyeducated.Butnooneknewthecauseofthepestilenceandthusnoonecoulddomuchaboutcuringit,sonotonlywerefewpeoplehealedbutmostofthemdiedbythethirddayaftertheaforementionedsignsappeared,someabitsoonerorabitlater.Mostofthemdiedwithoutanyfeverorothersymptoms.

Thispestilencewassopowerfulthatitspreadfromtheilltothehealthylikefireamongdryoroilymaterials.Itwassobadthatitcouldbecommunicatednotonlythroughspeakingorassociatingwiththesick,butevenbytouchingtheirclothingoranythingelsetheyhadtouched.WhatImustsayhereissostrangethatifIandothershadnotseenitwithourowneyesIwouldhesitatetobelieveit,letalonewriteaboutit,evenifIhadhearditfromtrustworthypeople.Thepestilencespreadsoefficientlythat,notonlydiditpassfrompersontoperson,butifananimaltouchedthebelongingsofsomesickordeadpersonitcontractedthepestilenceanddiedofitinashorttime.Imyselfwitnessedthiswithmyowneyes,asIsaidearlier.Onedaywhenapoormanhaddiedandhisragshadbeenthrownoutinthestreet,twopigscamealongand,aspigsdo,theypushedtheragsaboutwiththeirsnoutsandthenseizedthemwiththeirteeth.Bothsoonfelldowndeadontherags,asiftheyhadtakenpoison.Suchexperiencesorotherslikethemgavebirthtoavarietyoffearsandmisconceptionsamongtheliving,andthecruelstrategytheypursuedwastoavoid,evenfleethesickandtheirbelongings.Theythoughtthatbydoingsotheycouldstayhealthythemselves.

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Thereweresomewhothoughtmoderatelivingandtheavoidanceofexcesshadagreatdealtodowithavoidingillness,sotheylivedapartfromothersinsmallgroups.Theycongregatedandshutthemselvesupinhouseswherenoonehadbeensick,partakingmoderatelyofthebestfoodandthefinestwine,avoidingexcessinotherwaysaswell,tryingtheirbestnotspeakoforhearanynewsaboutthedeathandillnessoutside,occupyingthemselveswithmusicandwhateverotherpleasurestheyhadavailable.

Otherswereoftheoppositeopinion.Theybelievedthatdrinkingagooddeal,enjoyingthemselves,goingaboutsingingandhavingfun,satisfyingalltheirappetitesasmuchastheycould,laughingandjokingwassuremedicineforanyillness.Thus,doingexactlyastheyprescribed,theyspentdayandnightmovingfromonetaverntothenext,drinkingwithoutmodeormeasure,ordoingthesamethinginotherpeople'shomes,engagingonlyinthoseactivitiesthatgavethempleasure.Theyfoundthiseasytodobecausepeoplehadabandonedtheirpossessionsasiftheynolongerhadtocopewiththeproblemofliving,andmostofthehouseshadbecomecommonpropertywithcompletestrangersmakinguseofwhateverhomestheyarrivedatasiftheyownedthem.Andtheycombinedthisbestialbehaviorwithascompleteanavoidanceofthesickastheycouldmanage.

Asourcitysunkintothisafflictionandmiserythereverendauthorityofthelaw,bothdivineandhuman,sunkwithitandpracticallydisappeared,forthosewhoweresupposedtobeitsministersandexecutorswere,likeotherpeople,eitherdead,sickorsotakenupwiththeneedsoftheirownfamiliesthattheycouldnotperformtheiroffices.Thatlefteveryoneelsefreetomakehisorherownarrangements.

Manytookamiddlewaybetweenthesetwoextremes,neitherlimitingthemselveslikethefirstgroupnorengagingindissolutebehaviorastheseconddid.Thisgroupusedthingsastheyfelttheneedofthemand,insteadofshuttingthemselvesin,theywentaboutcarryingflowers,fragrantherbsorvariousspiceswhichtheyoftenheldtotheirnoses,assumingthatthebestthingforthebrainwastocomfortitwithsuchodors,sincetheairwasfilledwiththestenchofdeadbodiesandillnessandmedicine.

Somewereofacrueleropinion,thoughperhapsasaferone.Theysaidtherewasnobettermedicineagainsttheplaguethantoescapefromit.Movedbythisargumentandcaringfromnothingexceptthemselves,alargenumberofmenandwomenabandonedtheircity,houses,familiesandpossessionsinordertogoelsewhere,atleasttotheFlorentinecountryside,asifthewrathofGodpunishinghumankindwiththispestilencewouldnotfollowthemthere,butwouldcontentitselfwithoppressingonlythosefoundwithinthecitywalls,orasiftheyhadconcludedthatnoonewouldremainthereandthatthefinalhouroftheircityhadarrived.

Notallofthesevariously-opinionedpeopledied,butnotallofthemlivedbyemployingthesemeasures,either.And,havinggivenanexampletootherswhiletheywerehealthy,whentheythemselvesfellsicktheywereinturnleftabandonedbyall.Andwewillpassoverthefactthatonecitizenavoidedanother,noneighbortookcareofanother,andfamilymembersrarelyifevervisitedoneanother,infacttheystayedfarapart.Thistribulationstrucksuchfearintheheartsofmenandwomenthatonebrotherabandonedanother,unclesabandonednephews,sistersabandonedbrothers,oftenwivesabandonedtheirhusbands,and(agreaterthingandbarelybelievable)fathersandmothersabandonedtheirchildren,asiftheywerenoteventheirs.

Thecountlessnumberofpeoplewhofellsickcouldlookforhelponlytothecharityoffriends(andtherewerefewofthem)ortotheavariceofservants,whoreceivedhugesalarieswithoutbeingrequiredtodomuchandyetwerestillhardtofind.Theytendedtobemenorwomenwithlittleintelligenceortrainingwhoweregoodforlittleelseexceptbringingthesickpersonwhatevertheyrequestedorwatchingoverthemastheydied.Theyoftenlosttheirownlivesandprofitsintheprocess.

Thissituationinwhichthesickwereabandonedbyneighborsandfamiliesandcouldfindfewservantsledtoapracticepracticallyunheardofearlier:Awoman,nomatterhowattractiveorbeautifulshemightbe,didnothesitatetohaveasherservantaman,beheyoungorold,andshowhimeverypartofherbodyjustasshewouldhavedonewithawoman,aslongastheneedsofherillnessrequiredit.Thatpracticemayhavecontributedtothosewhosurvivedhavingloosermoralsafterward.

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Itfollowedfromthissituationthatmanypeoplediedwhomighthavelivediftheyhadbeencaredfor.Thus,betweenthelackofdecentservantsandtheforceofthepestilence,somanypeopledieddayandnightinthecitythatitwasashocktohearaboutit,saynothingofseeingit.Andthus,amongthosewhoremainedalive,theredeveloped,almostbynecessity,waysofbehaviorcontrarywhathadpreviouslybeentheprevailingcustoms.

Ithadbeenthecustom(andisagaintoday)forfemalefamilymembersandneighborstogatherinthehomeofadeadpersonandmournalongwiththefemalemembersofthehousehold,whilethemalefamilymembers,neighborsandothertownsmengatheredoutside;andtheclergycameinaccordancewiththedeadperson'srank.Then,withfunerealpomp,candlesandsinging,hewascarriedontheshouldersofhisequalstothechurchhehadselectedbeforehisdeath.Oncetheferocityoftheplaguebegantoincrease,suchthingsceasedeitherentirelyorinlargepart,othernewpracticestakingtheirplace.Accordinglymanydied,notonlywithoutmanywomenaroundthem,butwithnotasinglewitnesspresent.Fewwerethosetowhomwasconcededthepiousplaintsandbittertearsoftheirfamily.Onthecontrary,mostrelativesmanagedtobesomewhereelselaughing,jokingandhavingfun.Thewomenlearnedthatbehaviortoo,abandoningtheirwomanlycompassionintheinterestsoftheirownhealth.Andfewwerethosewhowereaccompaniedtothechurchbymorethantenortwelveneighbors,norweretheycarriedontheshouldersofhonorableandworthycitizens,butratherbygravediggersfromthelowerclasscalledbecchini,whodiditforpay.Theypickedupthecoffinandhurriedoff,nottothechurchchosenbythedeceased,butnormallytotheclosestone,accompaniedbyfourorsixclergyandafewcandles,andoftennoneatall.Theseclergy,withthehelpofthebecchiniandwithouttiringthemselveswithanylengthy,solemnservices,foundwhateverunoccupiedsepulchertheycouldandputthebodythere.

Thepoorandeventhemiddlingclassesfacedanevengrimmerprospect.Mostofthemstayedintheirownhomesandneighborhoods,eitherbecausetheyhopedtheywouldbesafethereorbecausetheycouldaffordtodonoother.Theyfellsickbythethousandseveryday,andhavingneitherservantsnoranyoneelsetocareforthemtheyalmostalwaysdied.Manyofthemdiedinthestreeteitherduringthedayorbynight,whilethosewhodiedintheirhomeswerenoticedbytheirneighborsonlywhenthesmelloftheirdecomposingbodiesbroughtthemtopublicattention.

Thereweredeadbodiesallover,andallweretreatedinprettymuchthesamemannerbytheirneighbors,whoweremovednolessbyfearthatthecorruptedbodieswouldinfectthemthanbyanypitytheyfelttowardthedeceased.Theywoulddragthedeadbodiesoutoftheirhomes(eitherthemselvesorwiththeaidofporters,whentheycouldgetthem)andlefttheminfrontoftheirdoors.Inthemorninggreatnumbersofthemcouldbeseenbyanypasserby.Atthattimetheywerelaidoutandcarriedawayonbiersor,ifnonewereavailable,onplanks.Nordidabiercarryonlyone.Sometimesitcarriedtwoorthreeatatime,andtherewereoccasionswhenahusbandandwife,twoorthreebrothers,orafatherandsonwerecarriedofftogether.Anynumberoftimestwopriestswithacrosswouldbeonthewaytothechurchwithsomeoneandporterswouldfallinbehindwithtwoorthreemorebiers,sothatthepriests,whothoughttheywereontheirwaytoburyoneperson,eventuallyfoundthattheyhadsix,eightorevenmore.

Norwerethesedeadhonoredwithtears,lightsorcompanions.Thingssunktothelevelthatpeopleweredisposedofmuchaswewouldnowdisposeofadeadgoat.Thusitbecameclearthatwhatthewisehadneverlearnedtosufferwithpatiencewhen,inthenaturalcourseofthings,itstrucklessdramaticallyandlessoften,becameamatterofindifferenceeventothesimplethankstothesheerscaleofthismisfortune.

Theamountofholygroundavailableforburialswasinsufficientforthehugequantityofcorpsesarrivingatthechurcheverydayandeveneveryhour,especiallyiftheywishedtofollowtheoldcustomandgiveeverybodyitsownplace;sowhenallindividualplacesinachurchyardwastakentheydughugetrenchesandputpeopleinthembythehundredslikemerchandiseintheholdofaship,thencoveredthemoverwithalittledirt,untiltheditchwasfilledtothetop.

ButIshallspareyouadetaileddescriptionofthemiseriesvisiteduponusandsimplymentionthattheillwindsblowingthroughourcitydidnotsparethesurroundingcountryside.There,tosaynothingofthetowns(whichwerelikesmallerversionsofthecity),throughoutthevillagesandfieldsthepoor,miserablepeasantsandtheir

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families,wholackedthecareofdoctorsortheaidofservants,diedmorelikebeaststhanhumans,dayandnight,ontheroadsandintheirfields,Andthuslikethecity-dwellerstheybecamelooseintheirbehaviorandstoppedtakingcareoftheirpossessionsandoccupations,andallofthem,oncetheybegantoanticipatetheirdeaths,stoppedcaringaboutwhattheymightdointhefuturewiththeirbeastsandlandsandsimplyconcentratedonconsumingwhattheyhad.Thustheircattle,donkeys,sheep,goats,pigs,chickensandeventheirdogs,man'sbestfriends,weredrivenoffintothefieldswherethewheatstoodabandoned,notmerelyunharvestedbutnotevencut.Theseanimalswereallowedtoroamwheretheypleased,andmany,likerationalbeings,returnedhomeeachnightaftereatingwellduringtheday,withoutbeingencouragedtodosobyashepherd.

Enoughaboutthecountryside.Returningtothecity,whatmorecanbesaidexceptthatthecrueltyofheaven(andperhapsinpartofhumankindaswell)wassuchthatbetweenMarchandJuly,thankstotheforceoftheplagueandthefearthatledthehealthytoabandonthesick,morethanonehundredthousandpeoplediedwithinthewallsofFlorence.Beforethedeathsbegan,whowouldhaveimaginedthecityevenheldsomanypeople?Oh,howmanygreatpalazzi,howmanylovelyhouses,howmanynobledwellingsoncefulloffamilies,oflordsandladies,wereemptieddowntothelowestservant?Oh,howmanymemorablepedigrees,ampleestatesandrenownedfortuneswereleftwithoutaworthyheir?Howmanyvaliantmen,lovelyladiesandhandsomeyouthswhomevenGalen,HippocratesandAesculapiuswouldhavejudgedtobeinperfecthealth,dinedwiththeirfamily,companionsandfriendsinthemorningandthenintheeveningwiththeirancestorsintheotherworld?

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SupportingQuestion1

FeaturedSourceSourceB:RudolfvonEms,illustrationoftheBlackDeath,“TheBlackDeath-fromthe10PlaguesofEgypt,”1411

Reproducedwithpermission.bpk/Berlin/Kupferstichkabinett,StaatlicheMuseen,Berlin,Germany/ArtResource,NewYork.

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SupportingQuestion2

FeaturedSourceSourceA:CenterforDiseaseControlandPrevention,illustrationofplaguecycle,PlagueEcology,2012

Publicdomain.CenterforDiseaseControlandPrevention.NationalCenterforZoonoticInfectiousDiseases.DivisionofVector-BorneDiseases.http://www.cdc.gov/plague/transmission/index.html.

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SupportingQuestion2

FeaturedSource SourceB:MapsdepictingthespreadoftheBlackDeath,2015

CreatedfortheNewYorkK-12SocialStudiesToolkitbyAgatePublishing.

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©2015TheRegentsoftheUniversityofCalifornia,DaviscampusCaliforniaHistoryandSocialScienceProject.Usedwithpermission.http://chssp.ucdavis.edu/programs/historyblueprint/maps/medieval-map#blackdeathanch.

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SupportingQuestion3

FeaturedSource SourceA:Databank:Bubonicplaguestatistics

Graphic1:WilliamL.LangerchartdepictingthepopulationofEuropebefore,during,andaftertheBlackDeath,“TheBlackDeath,”ScientificAmerican,February1,1964.WilliamL.Langer"TheBlackDeath"ScientificAmerican,February1,1964.Reproducedwithpermission.Copyright(C)1964ScientificAmerican,Inc.Allrightsreserved.

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Graphic2:ChartdepictingthepopulationofselectedEuropeancountriesbefore,during,andaftertheBlackDeath,2015.CreatedfortheNewYorkK-12SocialStudiesToolkitbasedonhttp://thebubonicplague.wikispaces.com/Bubonic+Plague.

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Graphic3:ChartdepictingdeathscausedbytheBlackDeathcomparedtoothercatastrophicevents,2015.CreatedfortheNewYorkSocialStudiesToolkitbasedon(http://www.history.com/topics/black-death),(Mougel,Nadege.Reperes,WorldWarICasualties.2011:http://www.nationalww2museum.org/learn/education/for-students/ww2-history/ww2-by-the-numbers/world-wide-deaths.html),(http://www.who.int/csr/don/2010_08_06/en/),and(http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/disease.htm).

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SupportingQuestion4

FeaturedSourceSourceB:HartmannSchedel,illustrationofthepersecutionofJewsduringtheBlackDeath,TheNurembergChronicle,1493

NOTE:IntheMiddleAges,peoplehadnoknowledgeofgerms,andmostrarelywashedtheirhandsorbathed.Incitiestheywereoftencrampedinclosequarters.However,Jewswereoftenforcedtoliveontheoutskirtsoftown.Theirreligionrequiredexceptionalcleanliness.Thisrequirementmeantthattheygotsickfarlessfrequentlythantheirnon-Jewishpeers.ManytownsfolkthenassumedthatJewswerepoisoningtheirwells.TheybegantodestroyJewishcommunitiesandmurderthousandsofJewishpeopleduringplagueoutbreaks.

UsedbypermissionofUniversityofGlasgowLibrary,SpecialCollections.

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SupportingQuestion4

FeaturedSourceSourceC:LeonardW.Courie,descriptionoftheeffectsoftheplague,SocialandEconomicEffectsofthePlague,1972

NOTE:Thistextismodifiedfromtheoriginal.

Theplaguehadmanyeffects.Peopleabandonedtheirfriendsandfamily.Theyevenfledcitiesandshutthemselvesofffromtheworld.Somepeoplestoppedworking.Somanypeopledied,theyevenstoppedhavingfunerals.Somefoughttheplaguewithprayerandbylivingamorereligiouslife.However,manypriestsdiedandprayerswentunanswered.Overall,people’sfaithinreligiondecreasedduringtheBlackDeath.

Theeconomywasaffectedaswell.Inflationroseandproductivitydeclined.Itwasdifficult(anddangerous)toengageintradeandtoproducegoods.Thatcausedthepriceofgoodstorise.Therewerenotenoughreplacementworkerstotakeoverfromworkerswhodied.Serfswerenolongertiedtoonemaster.Aserfwholeftthelandwouldbeinstantlyhiredbyanotherlord.Thelordshadtomakechangesinordertokeeptheirestates.Becauseofthelackofworkers,wages(whatpeopleearned)actuallywentup.Ingeneral,wagesoutpacedpricesandthestandardoflivingwasincreased.

Asthefeudalsystembegantocrumble,newdistinctionsamongpeopleemerged.Thefashionsofthenobilitybecamemoreextravagantinordertoemphasizetheirsocialstanding.Thepeasantsweremoreempowered.TheyevenbegantorevoltwhenthenoblesattemptedtoresistthechangesbroughtaboutbytheBlackDeath.In1358,thepeasantryofnorthernFrancerioted.From1378to1381,aseriesofrebellionschallengedthefeudalsystem.ThesocialandeconomicstructureofEuropewasdrasticallychangedasaresultoftheBlackDeath.

FromDecameronWeb,DepartmentofItalianStudies,BrownUniversity,VirtualHumanitiesLab.Usedwithpermission.http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/dweb/plague/effects/social.php