The Ultimate The Black Death Quiz | Specialized History

Answer: Rats

The plague was spread through the bites of fleas that lived on rats. At the time of the Black Death pandemic, rats were an unfortunate fact of life, living quite closely with humans. Hygiene standards were very different from today, often providing a ready source of food for rats, and increasing the opportunities for the illness to be passed on to humans.

Answer: China

The plague was circulating in Asia prior to this, with a grave found near Lake Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan which gives the names of two early plague victims. The inscription reads "In the year of the hare (1339). This is the grave of Kutluk. He died of the plague with his wife, Magnu-Kelka."

However, medical geneticists have confirmed that the first outbreak of the plague occurred in either the Yunnan province in China, before spreading to the other countries listed. It is believed that marmots may have passed on the illness to humans.

Answer: Silk Route

The Silk Route, the main trade route between China and Europe, is believed to have facilitated the spread of the Black Death across Asia and the Middle East. Death and infection followed this major trading route.

The Amber Route facilitated the trade of amber between the Baltic and Mediterranean seas.

The Spice Route linked ports in Asia, Africa, and Europe, and facilitated the distribution of shipments of ginger, cinnamon, pepper and other sought after spices.

The Incense Route linked the Mediterranean countries (via the Red Dea) with those in East Africa, India, and Arabia.

Answer: Yes

It is believed that there were three main forms of the plague: the bubonic, pneumonic, and septicaemic plagues. It is believed, on the basis of contemporary descriptions of the illness that all three were present as part of the Black Death.

The bubonic plauge was named after buboes which were swellings of the lymph glands, primarily in the neck, armpit and groin regions of the victims.

The pneumonic form of the plague was spread through droplet infection. It affected mainly the lungs of the victims. The droplet infection was responsible for the rapid transmission of this form of the plague.

The septicaemic form affected the circulatory system, and was responsible for the gangrene and sub-epidermal haemorrhages experienced by those that caught it.

The death rates for the pneumonic and septicaemic forms of the plague were very high.

Answer: 1348

The first recorded instance of the plague in England was in 1348, with some historians placing the location as the port city of Bristol, which was the second largest city in England at that time.

Other historians believe it entered via Weymouth, where there is a plaque commerating this. Regardless of point (or points) of entry, it soon spread to London, and then across the rest of the British Isles.

1666 marked a subsequent outbreak in England, with the Great Fire of London believed to have helped end that outbreak by destroying the many nesting places of the rats.

There was a smaller outbreak of the Black Death around 1400, but it was not as virulent as the 1348 outbreak.

Answer: 30-60%

Approximately 50% of the population is believed to have died during the height of the Black Death (1348-1350). This varied considerably depending on the version of the plague that was contracted, and the region where the individual lived (some towns experienced close to 100% death rate). In particular the septicaemic and pneumonic strains of the plague had close to 100% mortality.

In numerical terms between 75 and 200 million people worldwide may have died.

Answer: Poland

Poland was one of the few countries to escape a plague outbreak, due to an effective quarantine regime. This is particularly impressive as the surrounding countries all suffered outbreaks.

Iceland was also able to remain infection free, likely due to its isolation.

Answer: The Great Pestilence

The term 'Black Death' was not used until the sixteenth century by Swedish and Danish writers. Some writers believe that the word 'Black' refers to the gangrene and under skin haemorrhages experienced by many plague victims.

Justus Hecker, a German writer and physician, argued in his 1832 history of the Black Death, that a mistranslation of a Latin phrase 'atra mors' had occurred and that 'Black' meant 'dreadful' or 'terrible' (describing the time and circumstances) and was not primarily a physical description of the illness. It is after the publication of his book that the term 'Black Death' became widely used in the description of the 1348-1350 pandemic.

Answer: Spreuer Bridge Lucerne

The Spreuer and Kapelle bridges in Lucerne are famous for the paintings that decorate the interiors of the bridges. (Both are covered wooden bridges). Sadly, the Kapellbrücke, built in 1333, was damaged by fire in 1993. Many of the paintings which showed scenes from Swiss history were destroyed.

The Spreuer bridge was built in 1408 and features the 'Dance of Death', a series of paintings featuring the Grim Reaper 'dancing' with a range of townspeople and meant to represent how death comes to all. It is believed that this 'Dance of Death' in particular represents the plague.

'The Dance of Death' was a common theme in art during the late medieval and Renaissance periods. A number of similar artworks were produced, including a 41 piece work by artist Hans Holbein. Camille Saint-Saens produced a musical work, 'Danse Macabre' in 1874, and this piece has been featured in a number of television and movies including 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer', 'Jonathan Creek' and the television series, 'Grimm'.

The Tower of London is a famous landmark and at least one large plague pit has been excavated nearby. In 2013, during excavation works for the Crossrail project, another plague pit containing the remains of 13 people.

Winchester was badly affected by the Black Death with close to 50% of both townspeople and Cathedral clergy dying from the plague. It took until 1870 for Winchester to return to its pre-plague population.

Westminster Abbey contains a memorial to twenty-six monks who died as a result of the Black Death (approximately half its population).

Answer: Yes

Cases of the bubonic plague were reported in Colorado in 2012. This included a young child who contracted it while camping. A case was also reported in China. Around 10 cases a year are reported in the United States.