Year 10 - History
The Black Death
Medicine in Britain, c1250–present
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn about either migrants in Britain or medicine in Britain over a period of roughly 1000 years. They examine one of these themes, analysing the impact it had in Medieval, Early Modern, Industrial and Modern Britain, with a particular focus on change and continuity.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to evaluate the reasons why the Black Death was so deadly.
Key Notes
- The actual cause of the Black Death was not understood at the time.
- One-third of Britain's population was killed by the Black Death.
- Many people believed the Black Death was a punishment from God.
- Medieval treatments were ineffective against the plague.
- Some people avoided plague by reducing contact with those who were infected.
Vocabulary To Learn
- epidemic: when a large number of people get the same disease over the same period of time
- bacteria: a type of germ which sometimes causes disease
- divine: related to God
- quarantine: when people are kept away from others because they have, or might have, a disease
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- There were no effective responses to the Black Death.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
The actual cause of the Black Death was not understood at the time. One-third of Britain's population was killed by the Black Death.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'epidemic'
when a large number of people get the same disease over the same period of time.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: There were no effective responses to the Black Death. Correction: No effective treatments existed in the medieval period but some preventative methods, such as quarantines, could help protect people from plague.
More Lessons In This Unit
- 19th century approaches to treatment and prevention Study Guide
- A 19th century revolution in surgery Study Guide
- Edward Jenner and vaccination Study Guide
- Fighting cholera in London in the 19th century Study Guide
- Hospital care in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries Study Guide
- Improvements in public health in the 19th century Study Guide
- Medieval approaches to treating and preventing disease Study Guide
- Medieval caregivers Study Guide
- Medieval ideas about the causes of illness and disease Study Guide
- Medieval surgery Study Guide
- Modern advances in understanding the causes of illness and disease Study Guide
- Modern approaches to medical treatment Study Guide
- Modern approaches to the prevention of illness and disease Study Guide
- Modern improvements in diagnosis Study Guide
- New 19th century ideas about the causes of disease and illness Study Guide
- Renaissance approaches to treatment and prevention Study Guide
- Renaissance changes in anatomy and surgery Study Guide
- Renaissance ideas about disease and illness Study Guide
- The development of magic bullets and antibiotics Study Guide
- The fight against lung cancer in the 21st century Study Guide
- The Great Plague of 1665 Study Guide
- The growth of hospital care in the 19th century Study Guide
- The welfare state and the NHS Study Guide
- William Harvey Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 10 History guide library.