Edexcel GCSE History Past Paper - Thematic & Historic Environment (Paper 1) c1250-c1500 PDF

Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Edexcel GCSE History: The Your notes Thematic & Historic Environment (Paper 1) c1250-c1500 The Middle Ages Contents Perceived Causes of Disease in the Middle Ages...

Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Edexcel GCSE History: The Your notes Thematic & Historic Environment (Paper 1) c1250-c1500 The Middle Ages Contents Perceived Causes of Disease in the Middle Ages Medieval Medicine: Treatments Prevention of Disease in Medieval England The Black Death: Case Study Page 1 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Perceived Causes of Disease in the Middle Ages Your notes Diseases During the Medieval Period - Timeline & Summary Examiner Tips and Tricks Nowadays, historians do not use BC and AD to measure time. This is because they are associated with Christianity. Instead, they use the non-religious terms of BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) which you should try to use in your exams. There is no year difference in dates between BC/AD and BCE/CE. During the medieval period, there was a lack of understanding about why people became ill. This was because scientific explanations did not exist. People looked to natural or supernatural reasons to Page 2 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources explain the unexplainable. They followed the ideas of philosophers like Galen, who had lived in Ancient Greece. They seemed to have more answers about why people became ill. Your notes The Church’s power was enormous in 1250. Priests were one of the very few individuals that could read and write. In Church, they taught people how disobedience would result in going to hell in the afterlife. The Church stated that it was God’s will about who was healthy or not. Ordinary people did not question the authority or wisdom of the church. The Church and people did support the ideas of Galen, as his ideas matched Christian teachings. This meant they were not challenging the Church’s power. It took the emergence of the Black Death in 1348 for some people to begin to question the Church and existing theories. Natural Causes of Disease in the Middle Ages Miasma Miasma is bad air and was understood to be found near swamps, corpses and rotting objects If you breathed in miasma, people believed that you would become ill Many people believed in using pleasant smells to protect against miasma-causing illness Urine Physicians believed in examining the urine of their patients They believed the urine indicated which of the four humours was unbalanced Physicians would check the colour, consistency and smell of the urine and compare it to a urine chart The Theory of the Four Humours What are the Four Humours? The Theory of the Four Humours was a popular theory during the medieval period Galen expanded on the Theory of the Four Humours to create his Theory of Opposites It was believed that the four humours made up the human body: Blood Phlegm: A water-like substance coughed out or contained in a sneeze Black Bile: Blood that had clotted, seen in vomit or poo Yellow Bile (Choler): A substance contained in vomit or pus People believed that for a person to be healthy, the four humours should be in balance Page 3 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources It was believed that if someone had more or less of one of these humours, the body would become unbalanced. The person would then become ill Your notes The humours also linked to seasons, elements and star signs Examiner Tips and Tricks Although Hippocrates is not in the specification or learning resources, his name is often mentioned alongside Galen. Hippocrates was a Greek physician known as the Father of Medicine. Hippocrates created the Theory of the Four Humours, the Hippocratic Oath and encouraged physicians to observe a patient's symptoms. Page 4 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources A diagram of the Four Humours showing their links with seasons, elements and star signs Your notes Worked Example Describe one feature of the Theory of the Four Humours 2 marks Answers: The humours had to be balanced to be healthy (1); Having too much or too little of a humour would cause somebody to become ill (1). Examiner Tips and Tricks When answering ‘Describe one feature of…’ questions, two marks are given to you for: Identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic Describe - add some specific own knowledge about the point you have made This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, from 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks. Galen and the Theory of Opposites Galen was an Ancient Roman physician who expanded on the Theory of the Four Humours Galen's Theory of Opposites argued that the cure for an excess of one humour is treatment with the opposite humour For example, people believed that the cure for too much phlegm (cold) was eating a hot pepper (hot) The importance of Galen to medicine Galen had a keen interest in anatomy. He publicly dissected animals, particularly pigs Page 5 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources This provided Galen with evidence for his theories on the functions of organs, nerves and the skeletal structure of the human body The use of pigs meant that his ideas were mostly incorrect when applied to human anatomy Your notes Despite this, Galen's ideas dominated medical thinking for 1,400 years Examiner Tips and Tricks Do not confuse the Theory of Opposites with the Theory of the Four Humours. Both theories focus on the humours but the way Galen used the opposite humour as treatment was entirely different to the Theory of the Four Humours. Therefore, the Theory of Opposites built upon the ideas of the Theory of the Four Humours to give it more practical use for treatments. Galen's Popularity Why was Galen so popular in Medieval England? Galen's Theory of Opposites did not require human dissection, which allowed the Church to support him The Church did not believe in cutting the body, as, for a person's soul to go to heaven, the body needed to be intact Many people in medieval England could not read Physicians who had read Galen were regarded as better-educated This meant that medieval people did not question the physicians Due to a lack of scientific knowledge, there were no better explanations for illness than those suggested by Galen Supernatural Causes of Disease in the Middle Ages Religion The belief in God played an incredibly important role in medieval people’s day-to-day lives. The Church dictated people’s lives from ‘cradle to grave’ People went to Church every Sunday As a baby, they would be christened in the Church They would be married at Church Page 6 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources They would go into confession and pay for indulgences to clear their soul of sin When they died, they would have a funeral at Church Your notes If you sinned, it was believed that God had the power to make you ill People believed that certain diseases were a result of God’s punishment, for example, leprosy Astrology Astrology is the study of the position of the planets and stars The Church did not like the use of astrology but it did have links to Hippocrates’ Theory of the Four Humours Physicians would consult star charts and look at when the patient was born to help diagnose their illness e.g. Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces were linked to excess phlegm Page 7 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Medieval Medicine: Treatments Your notes Medieval Treatments of Disease - Summary As with the ideas about causes of disease, medieval treatments divide into the natural and the supernatural. Natural treatments had mixed results. Eating a healthy diet and washing their bodies are actions that people still do today to remain healthy. The basis of many natural treatments was the Theory of the Four Humours. Humoural treatments, especially blood-letting, tended to kill rather than cure a patient. Herbal remedies were also risky. Some were effective, others were poisonous. For example, chewing on willow bark for pain relief. The bark contains salicin, a chemical component of modern-day aspirin so did relieve pain. There were also supernatural treatments based on astrology and religion. There is no evidence that supernatural treatments had any healing impact apart from the patient's belief that it was curing them. The factor that significantly impacted if a patient recovered was how rich they were. If a medieval person was wealthy, they could afford the best medical treatment from physicians. They also had a better diet and housing. The poorest and most vulnerable in society had very few options for treatment. Even the Church would refuse to help those with mental health issues or people suffering from conditions like leprosy. Overall, care and treatment were ineffective in the medieval period. The Church blocked progress in finding successful treatments. The Theory of the Four Humours and the Theory of Opposites were incorrect so they could not consistently cure patients. Medieval medics ranged from inadequate to dangerous. Natural treatments Herbal Remedies Herbs were mixed together to create remedies a patient could drink, breathe in or bathe in to make them feel better People believed these natural elements possessed healing powers For example, aloe vera to help digestion Theriacas was a mixture of over 60 ingredients Galen noted it was effective in treating snake bites It later became popular for treating multiple diseases Page 8 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Diet There was a belief that some food had healing qualities Your notes Blanc Mangier, made from chicken and almonds was thought to aid the humours as it was warm and moist Bathing The use of hot baths was commonly prescribed to melt excessive humours Medieval people added herbs to the bath for health benefits For example, mallow and violets to relieve bladder stones Superstition led to the development of some bathing cures: Boiling a fox, known to be quick and nimble, and bathing with it was believed to cure paralysis Examiner Tips and Tricks Remember, whilst some of these natural treatments worked, there was no scientific basis for them. Sometimes people had observed improvements in patients after treatment. However, other treatments relied on superstitions or incorrect theories such as the Four Humours. In an exam answer, you would struggle to argue that successful treatments prove that people had an understanding of disease in the medieval times. It is better to say that medieval treatments were trial and error due to a lack of understanding about the cause of disease. Humoural Treatments for Disease Once a physician had identified what humour a patient had too much or too little of, they attempted to rebalance the humours Method Definition Blood- Cutting a Cutting a vein, usually near the elbow, with a sharp object to release blood letting vein Leeches Leeches were collected and placed on a patient’s body to feed on their blood Page 9 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Cupping A patient’s skin was cut with either a sharp object or fingernails. A cup was heated and placed on the cut. This vacuum drew the blood out of the patient Your notes Purging Emetic Bitter herbs (like aniseed) or poison forced a patient to vomit Laxative Mallow leaves stewed in ale or linseeds fried in hot fat made a patient defecate Enema For stubborn digestive blockages, a mixture of water, honey, oil, wheat bran, (clyster) soap and herbs was inserted into a patient’s anus via a greased pipe attached to a pig’s bladder. The patient then rubbed their stomach to force faeces out of their body Treatment Using The Theory of Opposites The Theory of Opposites was also used to treat patients: Page 10 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Your notes Using the Theory of Opposites, a patient with too much phlegm would eat chilli Page 11 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Your notes Using the Theory of Opposites, a patient with too much blood would eat cucumber Supernatural Treatments Astrology Physicians used star charts to formulate treatments and consulted them at every stage of treatment A patient's horoscope also influenced the timing of treatments The King's Touch Page 12 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources People believed that the King held the power to heal He would place holy oil on his hands at his coronation Your notes This came from the medieval belief in the Divine Rights of Kings People believed that God chose the King to rule and that He passed some of His supernatural powers to the King Written accounts at the time show that people believed this was particularly effective against scrofula, a form of tuberculosis Religion The Church promoted multiple treatments for illnesses: Healing prayers and spells Placing an offering at a shrine of a saint as to become a saint, they must have stories of performing miracles Touching holy relics Lighting a candle of the length of the body part that you wanted to heal Fasting Pilgrimage Christians believed that it was God's will whether you lived or died Many people did not take cures People believed taking cures was going against God's will and that was a sin Sins corrupt a Christian’s soul, preventing it from going to heaven Examiner Tips and Tricks The majority of medieval England were devout Christians. When writing about supernatural treatments, you can argue that there is no scientific evidence that they worked. However, try not to downplay the importance of supernatural treatments to medieval life. For some people, this would be the only method of treatment that they trusted. Care for the Sick in the Medieval Period Page 13 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Physicians In medieval times, doctors were called ‘physicians’ Your notes The term ‘doctor’ replaced ‘physician’ from the 17th century onwards Physicians attended university for between seven to ten years. They were the most educated of all the medical professionals available The Church controlled English universities like Oxford and Cambridge. They approved every medical text a physician used for his education When qualified, most English physicians were also clergymen. This meant they did not treat their patients as clergy were not allowed to deal with things like blood European physicians educated in non-religious universities like the University of Naples Federico II were able to diagnose and treat their patients Physicians had little practical experience in diagnosis or surgery When dissections and operations took place, the physician would be far away from the body The male physician would read Galen’s medical texts whilst someone else conducted the surgery Women were not allowed to be physicians or attend university at this time Physicians would diagnose patients' illness by: Using the Four Humours to recommend treatments Taking urine and blood samples Using astrology charts Examining a patient was not considered necessary although you could pay for this service Due to their length of training, there were very few physicians so they were expensive to use They were only accessible to royalty and the wealthy Apothecaries Apothecaries mixed herbal remedies from recipes passed down through generations Manuals like Materia Medica also helped to treat a patient’s illness Physicians would prescribe the treatment and apothecaries would mix it Apothecaries were not considered as skilled as physicians Many medieval people used apothecaries because they were cheaper than physicians Page 14 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Apothecaries were controversial in medieval times They prescribed poison to some patients which went against the Hippocratic Oath Your notes They experimented with alchemy and the supernatural This meant that the Church did not approve of them Barber Surgeons Barbers cut hair but also performed operations such as tooth extractions and amputations The striped barber pole seen today, outside a barber's shop, developed from barber surgeons advertising their surgical skills The red represents blood and the white represents bandages Some surgeons were highly trained They could fix a broken limb, remove an arrow or even do eye surgery Most were not qualified and learned by watching other barber surgeons Many patients died from shock, blood loss or infection Barber surgeons’ equipment was not cleaned between operations They did not have a method for pain relief apart from biting down on a stick Wise Women In the villages and households, women were the main source of care for the sick. The women: Mixed up herbal remedies based on flowers and herbs they would grow in the garden May have carried out minor surgeries, although there are very few records of this Some women were well-respected in their communities for their ability to care and heal Hospitals Hospitals were under the supervision of nuns and monks The Church owned approximately 30% of hospitals Charitable donations funded the rest By 1500, there were 1,100 hospitals in England Bury St Edmunds had at least 6 hospitals, each for different types of illnesses The hospitals were good at caring, not curing Page 15 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources ‘Hospital’ and ‘hospitality’ have the same origin Nuns and monks made patients feel comfortable but they thought disease was a punishment from Your notes God They believed prayer, not medicine, would cure illness Medieval hospitals had many positives Hospitals provided: Rest Good hygiene Hot meals The few non-religious hospitals hired physicians and surgeons Medieval hospitals also had some disadvantages: Patients often had to share beds which spread diseases Hospitals turned away people like pregnant women, and those with mental illnesses or infectious, terminal diseases The Church believed that they could not help these people Examiner Tips and Tricks The medieval medic a person chose would depend upon the illness that they had. For example, a barber surgeon would not be effective in treating vomiting. An ordinary medieval person would visit multiple different medics within their lifetime. Don’t forget the issue of wealth; this significantly impacted the quality of treatment choices available for the sick. Worked Example Describe one feature of barber surgeons 2 marks Answers: Page 16 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Some barber surgeons were highly trained (1). They could remove an arrow or even perform eye surgery (1). Your notes Examiner Tips and Tricks When answering ‘Describe one feature of…’ questions, two marks are given to you for: Identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic Describe - add some specific own knowledge about the point you have made This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks. Page 17 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Prevention of Disease in Medieval England Your notes Disease Prevention in Medieval Britain - Summary There was very little people could do to prevent illness in medieval Britain. The Church’s power blocked progress of scientific and logical methods of prevention. Monks were one of the few literate groups in medieval times. They produced handwritten copies of books for distribution. This meant there was no way to publish books which went against the teachings of the Church. There was also no motivation within the general population for answers. Many were happy to follow Galen's explanations or accept that their fate lay within God’s hands. Those who attempted to prevent illness used the same natural and supernatural ideas that justified the cause of disease and treatment. Natural Prevention Hygiene People believed it was important to look after your body A book called Regimen Sanitatis was published Regimen Sanitatis was a loose set of instructions provided by a physician to help patients maintain a healthy life Many health professionals today still prescribe some of the advice contained in the book, including: Exercise Do not overeat Sleep Avoid stress However, the Regimen Sanitatis also advised to: Breathe eastern or northern air Avoid barking dogs Stay on good terms with neighbours Diet Page 18 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources The Theory of the Four Humours linked to good health to digestion Physicians discouraged overeating Your notes Many medieval kings died from conditions like dysentery, caused by overly rich diets People believed dysentery indicated living an immoral lifestyle of over-indulgence King John died of dysentery in 1216 The 13th-century monk and historian Matthew Paris stated: "Foul as it is, Hell itself is made fouler by the presence of John" Many people decided purging, through laxatives or vomiting, was a good way to prevent illness from happening Purifying the Air To counteract miasma, people used: Herbs such as lavender Flowers such as posies A pomander (a locket worn around the waist) was worn with similar sweet smells for protection Local authorities disposed of rotten bodies by removing them from the streets Supernatural Prevention People believed that the Church provided the most important method of medieval prevention through: Regular prayer Confession Leading a morally good life By completing these actions, Medieval people attempted to avoid becoming ill Examiner Tips and Tricks Page 19 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Do not worry about how little there is to say about medieval prevention. The fact that there were very few ways to prevent illnesses in this time period shows a lack of understanding of disease. Many accepted that God was punishing them with illness Your notes Remembering this will be important in 4-mark comparison questions. You can write just how much prevention has improved over time. Page 20 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources The Black Death: Case Study Your notes The Black Death - Timeline & Summary Epidemics of disease were not uncommon in Medieval England. People’s poor hygiene and scientific ignorance meant epidemics destroyed communities. The Black Death was deadly. Historians estimate that half of the population of Europe died of plague by 1351. These figures were despite people following the advice of the Church and physicians. Today, we understand that fleas on rats spread the plague. Medieval priests and physicians did not understand what caused the Black Death. They advised both supernatural and natural treatments. In addition, the government did not believe it was their responsibility to help their own people. Public attitudes slowly began to change after the Black Death subsided in the 1350s. The Church’s power began to decrease. As a result, opportunities emerged to explore alternative explanations to the Page 21 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources causes of disease. When widespread plague hit again in 1665, the government increased their involvement to slow the spread of the disease. Your notes What was the Black Death? The Black Death was a new plague that originated in the Far East It came to Europe via Sicily in 1347 The name bubonic plague comes from the main symptom of buboes Buboes were pus-filled swellings which developed in the hot areas of the body such as the armpits At the peak of the epidemic, roughly 200 people in London were buried every day Ideas about Causes of the Black Death Supernatural Causes Many people believed the Black Death was a sign of God abandoning humans due to their sins Christians believe in the idea of a Judgement Day This is when Jesus would destroy heaven and Earth. He would then raise the dead and judge how morally good the humans had been From a medieval perspective, it is clear to see how the Black Death could be seen as Judgement Day People had no scientific knowledge of the actual cause In 1345, there was an unusual positioning of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn which people believed was a sign of bad things to come In Europe, many people believed that Jewish people caused the Black Death In England, the Jewish population had been exiled in the 13th century The Jewish population could not be blamed for the Black Death in England Natural Causes People believed that breathing in impure air corrupted the body’s humours The miasma was thought to originate from the fumes of volcanoes and earthquakes located in other countries This bad air came from rubbish on the streets, swamps and dead bodies Page 22 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources What were the Symptoms of the Black Death? Your notes An illustration showing the symptoms of the Black Death Page 23 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Usually, it took three to five days for victims of the Black Death to die The Black Death affected a patient's lungs meaning that they struggled to breathe Your notes Some patients suffocated on their own blood Victims also suffered fever, buboes, chest pains and coughing up blood Treatments from apothecaries or physicians could also result in death Examiner Tips and Tricks You may have heard about pneumonic plague as well as bubonic plague. The buboes victims developed were distinctive to this strain of plague. Pneumonic plague solely attacked the victim’s lungs. They were also spread in different ways. Bubonic plague was carried by fleas on rats. Pneumonic plague was contagious and passed from victim to victim by sneezing and coughing. Both plagues were likely in circulation in 1348. However, the examiners are clear that they only want to hear about symptoms of the bubonic plague. Worked Example Describe one feature of the symptoms of the Black Death 2 marks Answer: Victims developed buboes (1); these were sore, pus-filled growth in the armpits (1) Examiner Tips and Tricks When answering ‘Describe one feature of…’ questions, two marks are given to you for: Identify - write a relevant point based on the question topic (1) Describe - add some specific own knowledge about the point you have made (1) This question previously asked students to describe two features of a given event. This question was out of four marks. However, as of 2025, Edexcel will split this question into two subsections, asking you to describe a feature of two different events. Each subsection is worth two marks. Page 24 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Treatments of the Black Death Your notes Supernatural Treatments People believed that God sent the Black Death as a punishment. The Church advised that everyone should: Confess their sins Pray for forgiveness Ordinary people felt helpless to treat their symptoms They believed it was God’s judgement about whether they lived or died They were too scared to challenge this by seeking treatment Natural Treatments Physicians tried bleeding and purging but this did not work Often victims died quicker Strong-smelling herbs like aloe were recommended to clean the bad air as well as burning a fire and boiling vinegar As theriaca worked on multiple illnesses, it was often prescribed for the Black Death Some physicians lanced buboes This was much more effective than other methods because it removed the infection and encouraged healing Apothecaries sold herbal remedies but most did not work Preventing the Black Death Supernatural Prevention Priests advised that people should: Pray to God Fast Go on a pilgrimage Self-flagellate (whipping yourself) to show God how sorry they were People that did this are called flagellants Page 25 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers  Head to www.savemyexams.com for more awesome resources Your notes Examiner Tips and Tricks In an exam question, do not combine flagellants and the Church as the same religious group. Christians could self-flagellate to atone for sins. Flagellants gathered groups of 200-300 people when they travelled through towns and villages. The actions of flagellants threatened to undermine the authority of the Church. This led to Pope Clement VI excommunicating flagellants in October 1349. Natural Prevention Many people tried natural prevention to try and avoid catching the Black Death National prevention included: Moving to cleaner air in the countryside to avoid miasma Carrying flowers or herbs and holding them under their noses to ward off miasma Avoiding bathing It was believed that water could open the pores, allowing the bad air into the body Joyful things like listening to cheerful music Government Action New quarantine laws were introduced to prevent people from moving around the country too much People new to an area had to stay away from other people for 40 days Gloucester attempted to close itself off but people ignored this Local governments stopped cleaning the streets They believed that the bad smell would drive away the miasma causing the plague The Government considered banning preaching and religious ceremonies to stop the spread of the plague The Church’s power was too immense to allow this to happen The rich and the clergy continued as normal They were more powerful than the local governments and could ignore their rules King Edward III, the monarch at the time of the Black Death, did not enforce any laws to protect his citizens Page 26 of 26 © 2015-2025 Save My Exams, Ltd. · Revision Notes, Topic Questions, Past Papers