KS3 the black death - the effects of bubonic plague

History Quiz - The Black Death 01 (Questions)

Explore how the Black Death swept across Europe, the terrifying symptoms it caused, and how this plague changed medieval society, beliefs, and everyday life in Britain.

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Fascinating Fact:

Symptoms included painful swellings called buboes, fever, sickness, and bruised black patches on the skin.

In KS3 History, the Black Death is studied as a major turning point in medieval Europe. The plague reached England in 1348 and killed a large part of the population. Towns and villages struggled to cope with the speed of infection and the fear it caused. Historians explore how the Black Death affected work, religion, and power, and how survivors tried to explain and respond to such a shocking disaster.

Key Terms

Black Death: A deadly outbreak of plague in the fourteenth century that killed millions of people across Europe and Asia.
Buboes: Painful swellings in the armpits, neck, or groin that were a common and frightening symptom of the plague.
Plague: A serious infectious disease, often spread by fleas on rats, which can cause rapid illness and high death rates.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What was the Black Death in medieval Europe?

The Black Death was a major outbreak of plague in the fourteenth century. It spread across Europe and Asia, killing millions of people and causing huge social and economic change.

How did the Black Death spread so quickly?

The Black Death spread quickly through trade routes, crowded towns, and poor hygiene. Fleas on rats carried the disease, and close human contact helped infection move from place to place.

How did the Black Death affect life in Britain?

The Black Death reduced the population, which meant labour was in short supply. Wages could rise, some peasants gained more bargaining power, and attitudes to religion and death often changed.

Try These Related Quizzes

In which year did the Black Death first reach England?

[ ]	1308
[ ]	1328
[ ]	1348
[ ]	1378

What is another name for the Black Death?

[ ]	Bubonic Plague
[ ]	Bubotic Plague
[ ]	Bucolic Plague
[ ]	Bulimic Plague

The plague originally spread from where?

[ ]	Africa
[ ]	Asia
[ ]	North America
[ ]	South America

How was the Black Death spread?

[ ]	By dirty drinking water
[ ]	By fleas
[ ]	By flies
[ ]	By open sewers

The fleas were carried by which creatures?

[ ]	Black rats
[ ]	Harvest mice
[ ]	Hedgehogs
[ ]	Stray cats

What were buboes that gave Bubonic Plague its name?

[ ]	Coughing fits
[ ]	Large dark swellings
[ ]	Splitting headaches
[ ]	Throat ulcers

What percentage of Britain's population is thought to have died from the plague?

[ ]	5-15%
[ ]	10-25%
[ ]	33-50%
[ ]	70-80%

What did many believe about the Black Death?

[ ]	It was a punishment from God for their sins
[ ]	It would only kill the very elderly
[ ]	People could be immunised against it
[ ]	The doctors could cure it

Things were made worse by pneumonic plague that attacked what?

[ ]	Bone marrow
[ ]	The brain
[ ]	The kidneys
[ ]	The lungs

10.

Once the 1348 plague died out, which was not true?

[ ]	No people were left over the age of 21
[ ]	So many had died that there was a lack of workers
[ ]	Surviving workers were able to ask for higher wages
[ ]	The Lord of the Manor had to pay his workers more

History Quiz - The Black Death 01 (Answers)

In which year did the Black Death first reach England?

[ ]	1308
[ ]	1328
[x]	1348
[ ]	1378

The first cases were recorded in ports of the south west of England and spread north and east from there

What is another name for the Black Death?

[x]	Bubonic Plague
[ ]	Bubotic Plague
[ ]	Bucolic Plague
[ ]	Bulimic Plague

The bubonic plague (as well as the septicemic plague and the pneumonic plague) are commonly believed to be the cause of the Black Death

The plague originally spread from where?

[ ]	Africa
[x]	Asia
[ ]	North America
[ ]	South America

From there it spread steadily into Europe

How was the Black Death spread?

[ ]	By dirty drinking water
[x]	By fleas
[ ]	By flies
[ ]	By open sewers

As the fleas bit people, they transferred a particular type of bacteria to their bloodstream

The fleas were carried by which creatures?

[x]	Black rats
[ ]	Harvest mice
[ ]	Hedgehogs
[ ]	Stray cats

The rats arrived on board the trading ships

What were buboes that gave Bubonic Plague its name?

[ ]	Coughing fits
[x]	Large dark swellings
[ ]	Splitting headaches
[ ]	Throat ulcers

They formed in the armpits and groin

What percentage of Britain's population is thought to have died from the plague?

[ ]	5-15%
[ ]	10-25%
[x]	33-50%
[ ]	70-80%

It is very difficult to know the exact numbers

What did many believe about the Black Death?

[x]	It was a punishment from God for their sins
[ ]	It would only kill the very elderly
[ ]	People could be immunised against it
[ ]	The doctors could cure it

Some whipped themselves to show God they were sorry. It was another 500 years before people began to really understand the true causes of disease