The Early Stuarts: Tensions and Gunpowder · Spring Term

The Great Plague of 1665

The last major outbreak of bubonic plague in England.

About This Topic

The Great Plague of 1665 ravaged London, killing roughly 100,000 people, or one in five residents. Seventeenth-century explanations pointed to miasma from filth and decay, divine punishment for immorality, or astrological events, since the bacterial cause, Yersinia pestis spread by fleas on rats, remained unknown. Responses included harsh quarantines, boarding up infected houses with families inside, burning possessions, and cleaning streets, as recorded in sources like Samuel Pepys' diary and weekly Bills of Mortality.

This topic aligns with KS3 History standards on social and cultural history during the Restoration and Early Stuarts. Students explain contemporary beliefs, evaluate public health measures, and compare the 1665 outbreak to the 1348 Black Death, noting shifts in response over time and persistent challenges like urban density.

Primary sources offer rich opportunities for analysis, building skills in causation and historical significance. Active learning benefits this topic by using role-plays of parish councils or group debates on quarantine ethics, which make the fear and tough choices immediate, deepen empathy for victims, and sharpen source evaluation in collaborative settings.

Learning Objectives

• Explain the prevailing theories about the causes of the Great Plague in 1665, referencing miasma and divine punishment.
• Analyze the public health measures implemented in London during the 1665 plague, such as quarantines and house boarding.
• Compare and contrast the social and medical responses to the Great Plague of 1665 with those of the Black Death in 1348.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of 17th-century plague control strategies based on historical evidence.

Before You Start

Life in Stuart England

Why: Students need a basic understanding of 17th-century society, including its living conditions and social structures, to contextualize the plague's impact.

Medieval Society and the Black Death

Why: Familiarity with the Black Death provides a crucial point of comparison for understanding the unique aspects and societal responses to the 1665 plague.

Key Vocabulary

Miasma	An archaic theory that disease was caused by a noxious form of 'bad air' emanating from decaying organic matter.
Quarantine	A period of isolation imposed on ships or people arriving from infected areas to prevent the spread of disease.
Bills of Mortality	Weekly official reports in London that recorded the number of deaths and their causes, providing vital statistics during outbreaks.
Parish	A local administrative area, often centered around a church, which played a role in enforcing plague regulations and caring for the sick.

Active Learning Ideas

Role-Play: Parish Emergency Council

Assign roles like physicians, magistrates, and citizens to small groups. Groups review source extracts on plague causes and propose measures, then present to the class for a vote. Conclude with reflection on effectiveness compared to modern methods.

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

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Timeline Comparison: 1348 vs 1665

Pairs create dual timelines using key events, responses, and death tolls from provided sources. Add annotations on similarities and changes. Share via gallery walk for peer feedback.

⏱ 35 min·Pairs

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Source Sorting: Plague Explanations

In small groups, sort printed quotes into categories like religious, medical, or supernatural causes. Discuss evidence for each and link to measures taken. Vote on most common belief.

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

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Diary Entry Simulation: Eyewitness Account

Individuals write a short diary entry as a Londoner, incorporating two sources and personal reactions. Pairs swap and peer-assess for historical accuracy.

⏱ 25 min·Individual

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Real-World Connections

Public health officials today, like those at the World Health Organization, still track infectious disease outbreaks and recommend containment strategies, although their understanding of disease transmission is based on germ theory, not miasma.

Urban planners and architects consider population density and sanitation when designing cities to prevent the rapid spread of disease, a lesson learned from historical events like the Great Plague and the Black Death.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The plague was caused only by God's punishment.

What to Teach Instead

People held varied explanations including miasma and astrology alongside religious ones. Group source-sorting activities reveal this diversity, helping students move beyond single-cause thinking through peer discussion of evidence.

Common Misconception

Quarantine measures fully stopped the plague.

What to Teach Instead

While quarantines slowed spread, poor enforcement and unknown transmission allowed persistence. Role-plays of council debates expose flaws like family suffering, building nuanced evaluation skills via active decision-making.

Common Misconception

The 1665 plague was deadlier than the 1348 Black Death.

What to Teach Instead

Proportionally, the Black Death killed more due to virgin soil epidemics. Timeline comparisons in pairs highlight demographic differences, with gallery walks reinforcing data-driven contrasts over raw numbers.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Students will write two sentences explaining one cause of the plague believed by 17th-century Londoners and one measure taken to stop its spread. They will then write one sentence comparing the 1665 plague to the Black Death.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'Given the limited medical knowledge of the time, were the harsh quarantine measures of 1665 justified?' Students should use evidence from primary sources, such as Pepys' diary, to support their arguments.

Quick Check

Provide students with a short excerpt from a Bill of Mortality. Ask them to identify two types of causes of death listed and explain what this tells us about contemporary understanding of disease.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did 17th-century people explain the Great Plague causes?

Explanations included miasma from rotting waste, God's wrath for sins, and bad planetary influences, as seen in diaries and sermons. No germ theory existed, so responses focused on purification like fires and prayer. Students unpack this through sources to see pre-scientific worldviews.

What measures were taken to stop the 1665 plague spread?

Authorities enforced house quarantines for 40 days, sent the sick to pesthouses, burned infected goods, and paid searchers to identify bodies. King Charles II fled London, but local officials like those in Eyam village self-isolated heroically. Effectiveness was limited without understanding fleas.

How does the Great Plague compare to the Black Death?

Both were bubonic plague outbreaks killing via similar symptoms, but 1348 hit a less urban Europe harder proportionally. By 1665, quarantines showed progress, though urban density aided spread. Source analysis reveals evolving but imperfect responses over centuries.

How can active learning help teach the Great Plague?

Role-plays of decision councils let students debate quarantines using real sources, experiencing ethical dilemmas firsthand. Group source-sorting categorizes beliefs, while timeline pairs build comparison skills. These methods make abstract history tangible, boost retention through collaboration, and develop empathy for 17th-century struggles, aligning with KS3 enquiry aims.