Year 10 - History
Medieval ideas about the causes of illness and disease
Britain: Health and the people - c1000 to the present day
Study Hub
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 describe what ideas were used to explain the causes of illness and disease during the medieval period.
Key Notes
- Religion was a widespread explanation for disease in the medieval period.
- Non-religious explanations were also used, including astrology, miasma and the Theory of the Four Humours.
- Medieval ideas lacked scientific proof and were often inaccurate.
- The Theory of the Four Humours was the most popular non-religious explanation for ill health.
- The Theory of the Four Humours claimed illness occurred when four liquids, or humours, in the body were out of balance.
Vocabulary To Learn
- supernatural: things that cannot be explained by our knowledge of science or nature
- astrology: the study of the positions and movements of stars and planets to say how they might influence people's lives
- zodiac signs: twelve signs representing both groups of stars and when people are born
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Religion was the only medieval explanation for the causes of disease and illness.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
Religion was a widespread explanation for disease in the medieval period. Non-religious explanations were also used, including astrology, miasma and the Theory of the Four Humours.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'supernatural'
things that cannot be explained by our knowledge of science or nature.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Religion was the only medieval explanation for the causes of disease and illness. Correction: Religion was a widespread and commonly used explanation for disease but many other theories were also used including miasma, astrology and the Theory of the Four Humours.
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 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 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
Browse all guides in the Year 10 History guide library.