Download The Black Death webquest worksheet







Black Death Webquest Activity
Directions for internet access:
Students should visit the following website to complete the corresponding questions.
Before each series of questions students will see a number and title heading.
Students should click on each title heading on the web page, read the section carefully, and then
answer the questions for that particular section.
Simply click on the “back arrow” to return to the title heading webpage
A * indicates a critical thinking question
The website has also been linked to Mr. Sullivan’s website under “useful links”
1.Go to: http://europeanhistory.boisestate.edu/westciv/plague/
Please click on the number and heading before each set of questions in order to complete
the webquest
#2 “Origins”
2. When and where did the Black Death first erupt?
2A. As a result of the Black Death, how did China’s population decrease in the 14th
century? Please list the actual figures.
#4 “Arrival In The West”
*3A. Why did the Black Death tend to first appear in major European cities as opposed to
rural areas?
#5 “The Disease”
4A. What insect is the chief carrier of Bubonic Plague?
4B. List 4 common symptoms of the Black Death.
4C. What eventually happens to the swellings on the body caused by the Black Death?
4D. Why did the disease come to be known as the “Black Death”?
4E. Typically, how long did it take for an infected person to die from the Black Death
after they had first shown symptoms?
*4F. List 3-4 reasons which would explain why this disease would be terrifying to
anyone regardless of the time in history in which they lived?
#6 “Forms Of Plague”
*5. The passage reveals that one of the two types of plague was pneumonic plague, a
disease of the lungs. Why might this explain the rapid spreading of the disease?
#8 “Another Description”
*6. Why would this disease cause family members to completely abandon one another?
6A. Who did Agnolo di Tura personally have to bury?
*6B. Based on di Tura’s testimony, why would most people who lived during the Black
Death believe that the disease marked the end of the world?
#9 “Official Reactions”
7. Surprisingly, what did most church city officials not cite as the reason for this tragedy?
7A. What steps did Venice and Milan take in order to ensure that those infected would
not spread the disease?
*7B. If the United States was faced with a similar epidemic today, do you think that the
United States would be wise to adopt the practices of Venice and Milan? Do you think
these measures would be justified or unjustified based on the Constitutional rights of
American citizens?
#10 “Medical Measures & #11 Learned Opinion”
8A. Based on passage #10, list 3 “treatments” which people attempted in order to avoid
the plague.
8B. According to passage #11, what did the “Medical professors” of Paris cite as the
cause of the disease?
8C. Read passage #11 and list 3 things that people were advised to avoid doing in order
to stay healthy.
8D. Based on passage #11, list 3 activities that people were advised to try in order to
avoid infection.
*8E. After reading these passages, rate the likelihood of being cured or inoculated from
the Black Death based on a reliance of Medical Science in the Middle Ages, (1 meaning
that an infected person was as good as dead and 10 meaning a treated person could
expected to be cured or spared from infection). Explain the reasoning behind your rating.
#12 “Avoidance”
9. What was the only sure way to assure that one would not catch the Black Death?
#13 “Flagellants & #14 Description of the Flagellants”
10. In your own words, describe the actions of these individuals?
*10A. Why would they do these things to themselves and other people?
*10B. List 3 emotions that would explain the reasoning for choosing these types of
actions
#15 “Effects: Population Loss”
11. Based on the first two paragraphs, within three years what fraction of the population
of Western Europe was dead?
*11A. Why would clergy and doctors be especially likely to be infected?
#17 “Effects: Culture”
*12. Imagine that you had survived the plague, based on the reading how might your
view of both God and the life itself have changed? Please write 1-2 paragraphs for this
answer.