this document contains the key information on the living conditions, diseases, government responses and events for every time period in the peoples health (1250 to present) topic - if this revised effectively it can help you get a grade 7 +
Food + Famine: peasants, a good a harvest was crucial to them, great famine 1315-16 10% of the
population died – fungus infected bread eaten by the poor caused Ergotism – they ate vegetables
from small gardens used to make pottage, with eggs and cheese they had a fairly healthy diet – had
fish from local pond and the occasional meat; the rich ate lots of bread and a variety of meat; in
towns some vendors sold rancid meat infected with disease
Urban environment/housing: 90% of population lived in the country side – small one room huts
made of mud and sticks – some lived in timber frame houses – lord manor houses were either made
of stone or timber and were much larger – peasant houses had no chimneys – they brought in
animals at night to protect them and covered the floor with rushes or straws +insects and mice were
common; town houses were jutted out blocking sunlight on the narrow streets – were tightly packed
– rich merchants could afford timber framed houses – outskirt houses had gardens – occupants grew
flowers thinking it would purify the foul air preventing diseases
water: every village built near a stream or spring – each village had well fed by the stream – the
fulling process (washing clothes with urine then emptied into the stream) polluted the streams –
drank ale (small weak beer), cider and mead this gave them valuable nutrition and brewing beer
killed of any germs so was safer to drink than water; towns had a conduit paid for by the church as
they needed clean water for religious rituals – water came from village springs veer piped – water
carriers sold water in leather pouches; monasteries had high standards of hygiene – latrines along
side a river flushed away the waste – pure spring water was piped from hills
waste: in the countryside each garden had a midden or rubbish tip which was used for animal and
human waste – had cess pits which were dug out holes probably in the woods they could use as
toilets – waste from middens and cess-pits used as fertilisers; in towns waste from traders and dung
from animals were a big problem but also householders were allowed to throw waste onto the
streets for 3-4 days a week then Rakers were paid to clear streets of the rubbish – gongfermers were
paid to remove waste from cess-pits which sometimes were sold to farmers – the rich had latrines
with no flush though – most had cess-pits in their yard – some leaked into surrounding environment
diseases: ergotism and plagues from 1348-49 (bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic)
- Cause of the plague was that Yersinia pestis a germ that lives in the guts of flies and once it
bites a human it regurgitates the germs and infects them – the flies lived on the black rats
that infested trading ships – it originated in Asia but spread to Europe long the trade routes
Government responses: Public response:
- Large procession of priests to confess the - Most prayed and confessed sins
nations sins - Flagellants whipped themselves, suffering
- The king wrote a letter to the lord mayor on behalf of others believing God would
of London to tell him to clean up the filth as a result take away the plague
on the streets - Blamed the positions of the
planets/earthquakes, believed it spread
through miasma, imbalance of their 4
humours made them vulnerable
- Restore 4 humours and applied camomile
lotion on the buboes
Early modern, 1500-1750:
, Food + famine: wealthy people ate a large amount and variety of meat – fish eaten on Fridays as
religious custom – enjoyed white bread – ate small quantities of vegetables – drank wine, ale,
beer or mead as they knew water could make them ill – mainly unbalanced diet; the poor ate
vegetables and bread with eggs + cheese and fish + meat as occasional treats – harvest was still
crucial; new foods for the wealthy were pumpkins, peppers, chillies, tomatoes and potatoes –
there were new drinks like hot chocolate and sugar came from the + sugar – causing obesity and
rotting teeth
Housing/urban environment: town houses were still oak framed houses eventually replaced
stones or brick in the 17th cen. – house in towns were 1 room wide + 3 storeys tall –
overcrowded – some had overhanging ‘jetties’ – poorly constructed – draughty and damp
causing respiratory problems – poor squashed in the cellar and upper storeys +sharing beds was
common; streets were mainly gravel and beaten earth so would be muddy when rained and dust
in the summer – only few paved streets which mainly had animal dung on them – n very few
raised pavements; open smoke every where creating a smoky environment causing respiratory
diseases; animals were herded through streets to be sold/slaughtered – stray dogs + cats
everywhere – their excrement contained parasites causing illness
Water: bathing was not common because it was only possible if u had servants, bathtub, enough
firewood + water and plenty of time – if u lived near a river or pond, you could take a quick cold
dip – soap made from leftover animal fat but not suitable for skin but used on clothes – rich
could afford soap made of olive oil – believed dirty water could infect them through skin
Waste: in towns household waste would go into a basket or tub outside their house, once or
twice a week it was collected by scavengers who would then sell it to gardeners; human waste
had no change in the country side it was still cess-pits or woods – in towns it was growing issue
some used privies hanging over river – most had cesspits in their yard – wealthy had cesspits
emptied once/twice a year by scavengers at night - the poor had to do it themselves
Why was the Plague terrifying: the frequency of them was very common every 20 years – 8
major outbreaks from 1500-1670 – the symptoms 1 st were blisters appearing where they were
bitten they became gangrenous, blackish carbuncle – the lymph nodes would swell with puss
and form large buboes – death usually came in 5 days – the plagues struck suddenly and numb.
Of deaths increased rapidly – often killed 10% to 33% or more of the population killed
national government response: Public responses:
- (Henry VIIII) infected people had to - Prayers, fasting, good behaviour
isolate and watchmen posted outside - Wealthy ran away to the countryside
their house and bundles of straw hung - Physicians wore hoods/cloaks with
from their windows – had to carry sweet smelling herbs as protection
white sticks to be easily identified - Communities stuck together; elderly
- (Elizabeth 1) printed plague orders – took in the orphaned
collect money to help sick – organised - Occasional attacks on foreigners
prayers in church – infected houses - Avoided the sick
completely shut off - Relationships strained
- (James I) anyone breaking isolation can
be punished (hanged or whipped even)
The gin craze, 1500-1750:
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