Great Plague & Black Death Compared

Were there similarities and differences between the Black Death and the Great Plague?

Despite being separated by over 300 years, there were many similarities between the Black Death of 1348 and the Great Plague in 1665. This was because there had been very few medical developments that helped to explain the connection between germs and disease.

What were the similarities between the Black Death and the Great Plague?

There were 3 main similarities between the Black Death and the Great Plague.

• ❖ Many still believed that God sent the disease as a punishment, or that it was caused by miasma.
• ❖ Many people moved to the countryside to avoid the larger, cramped cities.
• ❖ There was no cure for the disease, as doctors didn't understand the connection between germs and diseases.

What were the differences between the Black Death and the Great Plague?

There were also 4 main differences between the Black Death and the Great Plague.

• ❖ Methods of preventing the spread of the plague in 1665 were more carefully planned, and the Mayor of London did more to help.
• ❖ During the Great Plague, residents were ordered to sweep the streets in front of their houses, making the environment cleaner.
• ❖ When a person died, plague-searchers were sent to examine bodies and determine whether they had died from the plague. Their diagnosis was later confirmed by surgeons.
• ❖ In 1665, doctors and scientists had better understanding of the connection between dirt and disease, although they couldn't explain it.