answer the following questions as a gcse 4 marker for history edexcel.
Explain (4 marks) - These always seem to compare one period with another
Explain one way in which people’s reactions to the plague were similar in the 14th and 17th
centuries.
Explain one way in which ideas about the causes of disease were similar in the fourteenth and
seventeenth centuries.
Explain one way in which treatments for illnesses were similar in the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Explain one way in which people’s responses to the 1665 Great Plague in London were similar to
the way that people reacted to the Black Death in Britain.
Explain one way in which ideas about the treatment of disease were different in the 13th and
17th centuries
Explain one way in which people’s reactions to the plague were similar in the 14th and 17th centuries.
One way in which people's reactions to the plague were similar in the 14th and 17th centuries is the fear and panic that it caused among the population. Both in the 14th century during the Black Death and in the 17th century during the outbreaks of the plague, people were gripped by a sense of terror as they witnessed the rapid spread and devastating effects of the disease. This fear led to similar actions such as fleeing infected areas, avoiding contact with the sick, and implementing quarantine measures to limit the spread of the disease. The overwhelming sense of dread and the desperate attempts to escape the plague were common in both periods.
Explain one way in which ideas about the causes of disease were similar in the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries.
One way in which ideas about the causes of disease were similar in the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries is the belief in miasma theory. In both periods, people commonly held the belief that diseases like the plague were caused by foul smells or "bad air" emanating from rotting organic matter or stagnant water. This theory was prevalent during both the Black Death in the fourteenth century and the plague outbreaks in the seventeenth century. People believed that breathing in this noxious air would lead to the spread of disease. As a result, efforts were made to avoid areas with bad smells, purify the air with fragrances and incense, and maintain cleanliness to prevent the spread of diseases like the plague.
Explain one way in which treatments for illnesses were similar in the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries.
One way in which treatments for illnesses were similar in the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries is the use of herbal remedies. Both during the Black Death and the 17th-century plague outbreaks, people turned to various herbal remedies and potions in an attempt to treat and cure diseases. These remedies often included the use of plants and herbs believed to have medicinal properties, such as garlic, juniper berries, and rosemary. Practices such as boiling herbs and inhaling their steam or applying herb-infused poultices to the body were common remedies used by people in both periods. Despite the differences in medical understanding and advancement between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, the reliance on herbal treatments remained a consistent approach to dealing with illnesses.
Explain one way in which people’s responses to the 1665 Great Plague in London were similar to the way that people reacted to the Black Death in Britain.
One way in which people's responses to the 1665 Great Plague in London were similar to the way that people reacted to the Black Death in Britain is the implementation of quarantine measures. During both the Black Death and the Great Plague, authorities and communities recognized the need to isolate and separate infected individuals from the general population to limit the spread of the disease. In both cases, infected households were required to display a visible sign, such as a painted symbol or a piece of cloth, to signal their status as plague-stricken. This helped to identify and isolate affected households, preventing close contact with healthy individuals. Additionally, similar regulations were put in place to restrict movements, close public gatherings, and enforce social distancing to contain the spread of the plague. These measures were aimed at minimizing contact between the infected and the healthy, thus reducing the transmission of the disease.
Explain one way in which ideas about the treatment of disease were different in the 13th and 17th centuries.
One way in which ideas about the treatment of disease were different in the 13th and 17th centuries is the prevailing belief in supernatural or divine intervention in the 13th century. During this period, medical understanding was limited, and people often attributed diseases and illnesses to spiritual causes. They believed that diseases were punishments from God or the result of malevolent forces influencing their lives. Therefore, treatments often revolved around religious practices, such as prayer, penance, and seeking the intervention of saints or holy relics. In contrast, by the 17th century, medical knowledge had advanced, and there was a greater emphasis on understanding diseases through scientific observation and experimentation. Treatments incorporated the use of herbal remedies, bloodletting, and other medical interventions based on emerging scientific understanding. The emphasis shifted from purely spiritual explanations to more rational and empirical approaches in the treatment of diseases.