Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · History
Course version: 1HI0 · Version from Sept 2016
C1500–c1700: The Medical Renaissance in England - 3 Case studies ● Key…
Full specification wording
Option 11: c1500–c1700: The Medical Renaissance in England - 3 Case studies ● Key individual: William Harvey and the discovery of the circulation of the blood.: Dealing with the Great Plague in London (1665): approaches to treatment and attempts to prevent its spread.
The Great Plague of 1665 devastated London, prompting various approaches to treatment and prevention.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- 3 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
The Great Plague of 1665 devastated London, prompting various approaches to treatment and prevention. Treatments remained largely ineffective, relying on traditional methods like sweating out the disease, lancing buboes, and applying herbal remedies. Wealthy individuals sought physicians, while others turned to quacks. Prevention attempts were more organised than in 1348. The Mayor of London issued orders to halt the spread, including appointing searchers to identify victims, shutting infected households for 28 days with a red cross on the door, and banning public gatherings. Other preventative measures included killing cats and dogs, lighting fires in the streets to purify the miasma, and carrying pomanders.
What earns the marks
- Identify specific treatments used during the Great Plague, such as lancing buboes or using herbal remedies.
- Describe the preventative measures ordered by the Mayor of London, including quarantine and the killing of animals.
- Explain the role of searchers and watchmen in enforcing quarantine measures.
- Compare the approaches to prevention in 1665 with those used during the Black Death in 1348 to highlight continuity and change.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing the Great Plague of 1665 with the Black Death of 1348.
Put it right: Ensure specific examples, such as the Mayor's orders and the killing of cats and dogs, are attributed to 1665.
Stating that people knew fleas on rats caused the plague.
Put it right: Explain that people still believed in miasma, astrology, and divine punishment as causes.
Claiming that treatments in 1665 were highly effective.
Put it right: Acknowledge that treatments were largely ineffective and focused on symptom management or incorrect theories of disease.
Exam tips
- Use specific details from the Mayor of London's orders to demonstrate precise knowledge of prevention methods.
- When discussing continuity, mention that belief in miasma and the Four Humours still influenced treatments.
- Be prepared to explain why prevention methods were more organised in 1665 compared to earlier outbreaks.
Try the lesson
The start of the Option 11: c1500–c1700: The Medical Renaissance in England - 3 Case studies ● Key individual: William Harvey and the discovery of the circulation of the blood.: Dealing with the Great Plague in London (1665): approaches to treatment and attempts to prevent its spread. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following was an official measure ordered by the Mayor of London in 1665 to prevent the spread of the Great Plague?
Listen
The Great Plague of 1665 devastated London, prompting various approaches to treatment and prevention. Treatments remained largely ineffective, relying on traditional methods like sweating out the disease, lancing buboes, and applying herbal remedies. Wealthy individuals sought physicians, while others turned to quacks. Prevention attempts were more organised than in 1348. The Mayor of London issued orders to halt the spread, including appointing searchers to identify victims, shutting infected households for 28 days with a red cross on the door, and banning public gatherings. Other preventative measures included killing cats and dogs, lighting fires in the streets to purify the miasma, and carrying pomanders. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Identify specific treatments used during the Great Plague, such as lancing buboes or using herbal remedies. Describe the preventative measures ordered by the Mayor of London, including quarantine and the killing of animals. Explain the role of searchers and watchmen in enforcing quarantine measures. Compare the approaches to prevention in 1665 with those used during the Black Death in 1348 to highlight continuity and change. A common slip: Confusing the Great Plague of 1665 with the Black Death of 1348. Instead, Ensure specific examples, such as the Mayor's orders and the killing of cats and dogs, are attributed to 1665. Exam tip: Use specific details from the Mayor of London's orders to demonstrate precise knowledge of prevention methods.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Theories of Disease
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Continuity and Change
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Government Intervention
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Theories of Disease
- People still believed in miasma, astrology and divine punishment as causes of the plague.
- Continuity and Change
- Comparing approaches to prevention in 1665 with those used during the Black Death in 1348 highlights continuity and change.
- Government Intervention
- The Mayor of London issued orders to halt the spread, including appointing searchers, shutting infected households for 28 days and banning public gatherings.
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