Year 10 - History
Fighting cholera in London in the 19th century
Britain: Health and the people - c1000 to the present day
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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 a theme in British history over a period of roughly 1000 years. They examine this theme, 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 significance of John Snow's work for the fight against cholera in 19th century London.
Key Notes
- Many people in Britain died in cholera epidemics.
- John Snow identified that contaminated water spread cholera.
- Snow's findings were generally not accepted by officials.
- The Great Stink led to a new sewage system being built in London.
- There were no cholera epidemics in London once its new sewage system was built.
Vocabulary To Learn
- epidemic: when a large number of people get the same disease over the same period of time
- contaminated: something that has become dirty or harmful to people's health
- cesspit: a large underground hole that is used for collecting human waste
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- London's new sewage system was built in response to John Snow's findings and recommendations.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Many people in Britain died in cholera epidemics. John Snow identified that contaminated water spread cholera.
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: London's new sewage system was built in response to John Snow's findings and recommendations. Correction: Snow's work was generally overlooked by officials. Instead, London's new sewers were built in response to the Great Stink of 1858.
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
- Hospital care in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries Study Guide
- Improvements in modern surgery Study Guide
- Improvements in public health in the 19th century Study Guide
- John Hunter 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 public health in towns and monasteries 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 Black Death 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 Liberal reforms and public health Study Guide
- The nature and importance of Islamic medicine and surgery Study Guide
- The role of Christianity in Medieval medicine Study Guide
- The welfare state and the NHS Study Guide
- William Harvey Study Guide
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