1. The Bubonic Plague Aka the Black Death

2. What is the Bubonic plague? It is a disease created by a bacteria. The bacteria is transmitted through fleas. The bacteria is carried by several different types of rodent. The flea bites a rodent carrying the bacteria, let’s say a rat, then it bites a person. The person is then infected with the bacteria.

3. Symptoms of the Plague Plague-infected flea bites the victim Victim develops fever and pains Victim feels tired and weak, but finds it difficult to sleep

4. Symptoms of the Plague Body temperature increases. Victim feels giddy, appears dazed – and begins to talk wildly. Swollen glands appear in groin, armpit or neck – called Buboes

5. Symptoms of the Plague Bleeding under the skin causes blue- black or purple blotches. Red rash with small red spots appears on Buboes Death

6. Some survived Approximately 50-75% of those who were infected by the bacteria, died of “the plague.” Depending on the form of plague, victims died within 1-7 days. Citizens of Tournai bury plague victims. These are fortunate to have coffins. Most victims were interred in mass graves

7. When? Historians have recorded three major outbreaks of plague: –6 th Century – Justinian’s Plague –14 th Century - during the Middle Ages –17 th Century – during the Renaissance period The estimated death toll from ALL THREE is approximately 137 million

8. How and Why? International trade –Each time it was brought in from Asia – a warmer climate where fleas aren’t always killed by cold weather Factors that made it worse:  Lived in close quarters.  Poor sanitation.  No antibiotics.  Dr’s said not to bath.

9. Effects on Medieval Europe Between 1347 and 1352, 25 million people died Breakdown of social order Fear, looting, persecution of Jews Abandoning of family members Rapid decrease in population

10. Credits www.schoolhistory.co.uk www.themiddleages.net www.eyewitnesstohistory.com www.home.nycap.rr.com www.mrdowling.com All these sites were found through our library’s online database – nettreker: www.sharlan.edublogs.org