INQ-270 | The Black Death

Full Title: The Black Death

Topic Description:

The cataclysmic plague of 1348-50 was a defining event for the late Middle Ages. The questions of how medieval men and women dealt with the high death tolls, the disruptions to trade and commerce, population dislocations, and the challenges to their faith are still pertinent today, particularly in the light of twenty0first century concerns with the spread of infectious diseases (e.g. AIDS, SARS, Avian Influenza). Using a variety of primary source materials (e.g. archaeological evidence, chronicles, poetry, medical reports, woodcuts), students will examine the following issues: geographical origins of the plague, symptoms and transmission, medical responses, socioeconomic impact, as well as religious, cultural, and artistic responses. With a strong emphasis upon document analysis, this course will introduce students to rigorous inquiry in the liberal arts while developing critical thinking and academic writing skills.

Counts as Global? No

Topic Approved: October 2013