6th Grade Core
The Black Plague Video Questions
Name/Split
Date
Part 1: Previewing activity
The Mongol Empire was one of the largest empires in the medieval world. Take a look at the map
below; this is the Mongol Empire at its height.
Respond: The size of the Mongol Empire in the late 13th century allowed trade to occur on a very
large geographic scale. How did this affect society? How did different societies that came into
contact with each other affect each other? What passed back and forth between different cultures,
groups and religions?
Vocabulary:
Christendom – the Christian world, in this case, western Europe
Apocalypse – the end of the world and civilization
Miasma – bad, diseased air, air that causes disease
Absolution – forgiveness of sins; to be forgiven for one’s sins before death, so that passage to
heaven after death.is assured.
Consecrate: to bless, to make holy, such as ground for burial.
Sanctuary: Refuge, safety from harm or persecution.
Part 2: As we watch the video, answer the following questions.
Chapter 4:
1. Why does Pope Clement refuse to leave Avignon, France, when the plague hits the city?
Who does he believe will keep him safe?
2. To where do the nobles flee to escape the plague? Why is this place safer than the towns
and cities?
3. What group is left behind in the cities and towns and is affected by the plague? Why
can’t they flee the cities and towns?
4. How are serfs in the countryside more susceptible to the plague than the nobles? What
about their living quarters made them more prone to being infected with the disease?
5. How did the Church fail its followers during the plague? How did priests in particular fail
their followers?
6. Why were Christians so terrified to die without absolution?
7. How did medieval people change for the worse as the plague sweeps through Europe?
8. Why did medieval people lose faith in the Church as the plague sweeps through Europe?
Chapter 5:
1. What problem arises as so many people die from the plague?
2. What does the Pope do to ensure that more consecrated burial “ground” is available to
bury the dead?
3. Who were the flagellants? What did they do to rid themselves and society of sin?
4. Why does Pope Clement VI feel threatened by the flagellants?
Chapter 6:
1. How does Jewish population of Europe suffer because of the plague? Of what crime are
they blamed?
Chapter 7:
1. What happens to the size of the European Jewish population because of the persecution
they suffered during the plague? What country offered them sanctuary?
2. An Arab scholar said that “the plague swallowed up many of the good things of
civilization and wiped them out. The entire world changed.” What does this mean to you?
3. It was said that every survivor of the plague witnessed the death of someone close to
them, that no one was spared losing someone – whether a friend or relative – to the
disease. What psychological affect might that have had on someone?
How was society affected by the plague? The aftermath….
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The study of disease became more medically accurate. Medieval doctors began
to look for an explanation for the plague. They began to experiment and study the
causes of the illness rather than accepting the explanation that it was sent by God
as a punishment for sins.
More food was available. Before the plague, famine was common. Farmers were
unable to produce enough food to feed the growing population of Europe.
Because nearly ½ of Europe’s population died from the disease, the grain that was
produced was suddenly enough to feed everyone.
Wages rose. Because fewer workers were available, those who were available to
work could demand higher wages.
Peasants became landowners. Because so much land was abandoned and left
uninhabited by those who died, it was left for the taking. Some peasants took over
abandoned land and became landowners.
Nobles lost some of their power. Because there were fewer serfs left to work the
land, nobles were forced to work their own land.
Inventions increase and industry rises. Machines are invented to replace the
loss of human workforce. The printing press and mills are invented around this
time.
The theme of death becomes more prevalent in culture. The image of death –
often represented as a skeleton – arises in much of the art of the 14th century. The
themes of dance macabre (meaning “dance of death,” represented by skeletons
dancing) and memento mori (a phrase meaning “remember that you are mortal”)
crop up in the art and music of the time.