Why was 14th Century England a prime location for an outbreak like the plague? The 14th Century England was a prime location for an outbreak like the plague because of an infectious fever caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. The poor drainage system was the reason for the widespread infection.
What living conditions might have increased the likelihood of fleas infecting humans? Unhygienic living conditions might have increased the likelihood of fleas infecting humans. The disease was likely transmitted from rodents to humans by the bite of infected fleas.
Could the plague infect someone today? Why or why not? Plague bacteria are most often transmitted by the bite of an infected flea. During plague epizootics, many rodents die, causing hungry fleas to seek other sources of blood. People and animals that visit places where rodents have recently died from plague are at risk of being infected from flea bites. So, the plague can infect in the present scenario, but the repercussions would be much less due to the better drainage systems and healthcare system.
The Black Death wiped out the majority of Europe's population in more isolated communities. What brought the plague on and why did it spread so quickly? The bubonic plague - named the Black Death by later historians - was caused by the yersinia pestis bacteria, which lived in rodent populations and was spread by fleas that had bitten infected animals.
Step Two
Which monarch are you going to focus on for your research paper?

Why did you pick this particular monarch?

You conducted a bit of research in the previous step. What sites did you use? Keep these sites in mind as we head into future weeks. You may want to refer back to them.