Black Death Analysis

Black Death Analysis

Think about and offer your best answers to the questions below based upon the information that accompanies each set of questions.

1) Fourteenth-Century Map of Europe

Questions:

• When did the plague hit England?
• What areas were partially or totally spared? Any theories of why?

2) Fourteenth-Century Map of England

Questions:

• What area had the highest mortality rate?
• What conclusions can you draw from the map?

3) East Smithfield Black Death Cemetery: Charts related to 636 bodies excavated

Questions:

• Analyzing "Figure 2: Age distribution," what age group appears to have been hit the hardest by the plague?
• Looking through the other data, what else can you learn?

4) Table of Death Rates, Worcester, England

Questions:

• What manor was hit the hardest? What was its death rate?
• What was the overall death rate in Worcester?

5) Table of Tithing Member, Essex, England

Questions:

• What is the difference in the number of tithing (look up the word "tithe") members in Great Waltham from 1346 to 1351?
• What might be the consequences of the loss of so many tithing members?

6) Conclusions

Questions:

• What can we infer from all this information and data about the people and social climate of the time?
• If you lived during this time, what might be your concerns?
• How do you think these concerns might have manifested in the literature of the time?

Activity Outcome

• Students will be able to articulate the effects of an historical event on literature.

Relevant Course Outcome

• Students will be able to identify and analyze the textual, historical, and cultural contexts of works of literature.

This activity was developed for a British Literature survey course, so the focus is on Europe and England. It could (and should) be expanded beyond that for other courses.