HistoricalSourceInvestigationExam

RevisionGuide

DevelopmentsinBritishMedicine,
12001945
June2014focus:
TheBlackDeathinEngland

IMPORTANTINFORMATION
Lengthofexam1hour30minutes(thismeans1.8minutespermark)
Numberofpoints53(50and3forSPAGonQuestion6)
Numberofquestions6(varyingfrom5markquestionsto10markquestions)
Numberofsources7or8sourceswrittenandpictures.Withbackground
before.
Weighting30%ofthefinalgrade.
SkillstestedSourceanalysisandyourownknowledgeofonearea
ImportantContentyouMUSTknowthisstuff

Timeline

June1348:BlackDeatharrivesat
MelcombeRegis(Weymouth)

Aug1348:BlackDeathhitsBristol

Sept1348:BlackDeathreaches
London

Oct1348:Winchesterhit

Jan1349:Parliamentproroguedon
accountoftheplague.

JanFeb1349:Plaguespreadsinto
E.AngliaandtheMidlands.

April1349:PlagueknowninWales.

May1349:Halesowenhit.

18thJune1349:Ordinanceof
Labourersfixedwagesfor
labourersastherewasashortage
ofworkers

July1349:PlaguehitsIreland.

Autumn1349:Plaguereaches
Durham.Scotsinvadenorthern
Englandandbringbackplaguewith
them.

Spring1350:Massiveoutbreakof
plagueinScotland.

Sept1350:Firstpestilencediesout.

9thFeb1351:StatuteofLabourers
repeatedfixedwage

136164:SecondPestilence:'The
PlagueofChildren'.
Actualcauses
Fleas
TrademuchimprovedintheMiddleAgesandoften
international
Whatdidpeoplebelievecausedit?
God
AlignmentoftheplanetsSaturninparticular
Miasmabadsmells
JewsfarlesssignificantinEnglandasJewshadbeen
expelledin1290
Whyspreadsoquickly
Crampedconditionsintowns
Shortageoffoodleftpeopleweak,lackofvitamins
Poorpublichealthbutitwasimproving
Nounderstandingofgerms
Lackofmedicalknowledge
Impact
Populationdeathdifficulttosaywithaccuracy
probablyathird
Shortageoflabour
Ruraltourbanmigration
PeasantsRevolteventually
Whatpeoplediddotostopit?
Publichealthimprovementsfinesforlitteringor
chuckingsewageonthestreets
FlaggelationmostlyDutchsectthatarrivedin1349
Isolation
Prayers
Charms
Symptoms
Bubonicplague
Pneumonicplague
Flulikesymptoms
Buboesongroinandneck
WiderReading
ReallyfortheA*studentsonly:
IanMortimerTimetravellersguidetoMedievalEnglandp200p203
MrKennetthasacopyhewilllendout

TheBlackDeathinBristolbyC.E.Boucher1938,Vol.60,3146
http://goo.gl/lyuIhX

WiderWatching

BlackDeathdocumentaryhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsCkgX2epFw

BBCSimonSchamaBlackDeathdocumentary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMQsBECWaXY

Widerbrowsing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death_in_England
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/black_death_of_1348_to_1350.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/middle_ages/black_01.shtml
http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/themes/publichealth/blackdeath.aspx
http://www.lordsandladies.org/blackdeath.htm
Examtechnique

Therearecertainquestionstemsthatcomeupregularlyandinthisguideyouwillfind
guidanceabouthowtoanswereachone.Donotpaniciftheydontappearthoughorif
theyaredifferent.

Essentiallyforeachquestionfollowthisformula,whichisatweakedversionoftheonefor
Paper1.

A Answer the question

Explicitly use the words in the question to form your sentence, e.g. if it says Why
are you surprised?, you say I am surprised..

R Refer to the source
Whether its a picture or a written source you
explicitly refer to it. Pick out something
specific
(if its a picture refer to a bit, if its written refer to a
quote)

K Knowledge
Bring in some contextual knowledge to support your answer that is NOT in the
source. Dont panic if you cant its less important than in Paper 1.

X Cross reference
Cross reference to other sources on the exam paper, even if they arent explicitly
mentioned in that question.


NOTE: Look at the total number of marks for the q. Roughly one properly
explained point per two marks (e.g. 4 to 5 lines)

Questiontype:Whatcanwelearnfrom.

Examplequestions:
WhatimpressiondoesSourceXgiveaboutXXXXX?
HowmuchcanyoulearnaboutXXXXfromSourceX?

Focusofthequestion:
Makinginferences

Sentencestarters:
SourceAtellsme[directlinktoaspecificaspectofthesource].FromthisI
caninfer
FromSourceAIcanlearnthat

Toptips:
MakeatleastONEinferencepertwomarkswhichdirectlylinktothesource
Refertospecificbitsofthesource

Lowtohighlevelanswers:

Lowlevelanswers

Highlevelanswers
Answerswhichcopyorparaphrasethesource

Answerswhichmakeunsupportedinferences

Answerswhichmakesupportedinferences

Questiontype:Whatcanwelearnfrom.

Practicequestion:

StudySourceA

WhatcanwelearnabouttheBlackDeathfromthissource?Usethesourceand
yourownknowledgetoexplainyouranswer.[6marks]

Questiontype:Howusefulis.

Examplequestions:
WhichsourceismoreusefulXorY?
HowusefulisthissourcetoahistorianinvestigatingXXXX?
WhichsourceismoreusefulXorY?
StudySourceB.Howusefulisthissourceaboutevidenceof.?Usethesourceandyour
ownknowledgetoexplainyouranswer.
DoesSourceAprovethat(provequestionsarethesameasutility!)

Focusofthequestion:
Assessingtheusefulnessofsource/s

Sentencestarters:
Thissourceisusefulbecauseitshowsfromthisitcanbeinferred
SourceBislimitedbecauseitdoestellusabout[insertyourownknowledge/cross
referencewithanothersourceonthepaper]
Toconcludethissourceisusefultoa[limited/great]extentbecause

Toptips:
Allsourcesareusefulbuttodifferentextent
Refertobothsidesoftheargumentusefulandnot
Usethesourcedirectlyandyourcontextualknowledge
Crossreferencethesourcewithanothersourcefromtheexaminationpapertoplaceit
withinitshistoricalcontextandsupportyourfinaljudge
Refertotypicalitye.gisthissourceaoneoff/exceptiontotheruleorisitagood
exampleofhowthingswere.Toanswerthisyouhavetocomparethesourcetoown
knowledge/othersourcesontheppaer

Lowtohighlevelanswers:

Lowlevelanswers

Highlevelanswers
Answersbasedonprovenance/sourcetypeordate

Answerbasedonwhatdetailitprovides

AnswersbasedonrelevantinferencesORDiscussionoftypicality
orsufficiency

Answersdobothoftheaboveandconsiderreliability
Questiontype:Howusefulis.

Practicequestion:

StudySourceD

HowfardoesthissourceprovethatpeopleintheMiddleAgesbelievedthatthe
plaguehadbeensentbyGod?Usethesourceandyourownknowledgeto
explainyouranswer.[8marks]

Questiontype:Howfardoyoutrust.

Examplequestions:
Howfardoyoutrustthissource?

Focusofthequestion:
Consideringtrustinthesource

Sentencestarters:
IcantrustSourceAtoanextent[directlinktoaspecificaspectofthe
source].
TheextenttowhichSourceAistrustworthyisdebateable

Toptips:
Explainwhyyoutrustanddonttrustthesource
Refertospecificbitsofthesource
Crossreferenceatleastonesourcewithanotherformtheexaminationpaper
tosupportyourjudgement
Tojudgewhetherasourceistrustworthyornotitthismeansisitreliable.To
figurethisout,considermotive/purposeandauthorship,whatwas
happeningatthetime,isthesourcecorroboratedbyyourownknowledgeor
othersources

Lowtohighlevelanswers:

Lowlevelanswers

Highlevelanswers
Undevelopedanswersbasedonprovenance/reliability

YesORNoanswersbasedonsource

YesANDNoanswersbasedonsource

AnswersconsiderhowfarbasedonsourceORcross
reference

AnswersconsiderhowfarbasedonsourceANDcross
reference
Questiontype:Howfardoyoutrust.

Practicequestion:

StudySourceE

HowfardoyoutrustthisaccountoftheBlackDeath?Usethesourceandyour
ownknowledgetoexplainyouranswer.[8marks]

Questiontype:Areyousurprisedby

Examplequestions:
AreyousurprisedbySourceX?
DoesSourceCmakeyousurprisedatinSourceD?Usethesourceandyourown
knowledgetoexplainyouranswer.

Focusofthequestion:
Surprisingnatureofthesource

Sentencestarters:
Iamsurprisedbybecause[insertareferencetothesources]Thisinfers
[thatissupportedbyyourownknowledge]
HoweveramInotsurprisedby[directreferencetoaspecificaspectofthe
sourceandsupportbyyourownknowledge]

TopTips:
Explainbothsideswhatyouareandarenotsurprisedby
Usethesourcesdirectlyandyourcontextualknowledge
Crossreferenceatleastonesourcewithanotherformtheexaminationpaperto
supportyourjudgement

Lowtohighlevelanswers:

Lowlevelanswers

Highlevelanswers
Unsupportedanswers

ExplainswhysurprisedornotbasedonEITHERsourceor
undevelopedcomparison

ExplainswhysurprisedORnotbasedoncomparisonof
BOTHsources

ExplainswhysurprisedANDnotbasedoncomparisonof
BOTHsources

Asabovepluscontextualknowledgeorcrossreference

Questiontype:Areyousurprisedby

Practicequestion:

StudySourceG

AreyousurprisedbywhatittellsusabouttheBlackDeath?Usethesourceandyour
ownknowledgetoexplainyouranswer.[8marks]

Questiontype:Whywasthissourcepublished

Examplequestions:
Whywasthissourcepublishedatthetime?
StudySourceG.WhywassourceGpublishedatthistime?Usethesource
andyourownknowledgetoexplainyouranswer.

Focusofthequestion:
Considerationofpublication

Sentencestarters:
SourceGwaspublishedin[insertthedate]to[useyourknowledgeto
explainthehistoricalcontextofthesource]
SourcesGwaspublishedtoinformpeoplethat[bigpoint]
ThisisshowninSourceGby[directlinktothesourceandsupportwith
yourownknowledge]

TopTips:
Usetheprovenanceofthesource,especiallythedate
Directlyusedetailsfromthesource
Useyourownknowledgetoexplainthehistoricalcontextofthesource

Lowtohighlevelanswers:

Lowlevelanswers

Highlevelanswers
Unsupportedassertions

Usesdetailinsourcetomakepoints

AsaboveANDunderstandsconceptof
audience/purpose

Asaboveplusauseofcrossreferencetoown
knowledgeorothersourcestoevaluatesource

Questiontype:Whywasthissourcepublished

Practicequestion:

StudySourceQ

WhywasSourceQpublishedin1350?Usethesourceandyourownknowledge
toexplainyouranswer.[8marks]

SourceQ:
Questiontype:Comparisonquestions

Examplequestions:
HowfardoesSourceXprovethatSourceYwaswrong?
Howfardothesesourcesdisagree?
HowdifferentarethesetwosourcesasevidenceaboutXXXX?
DoesSourceXmakeyousurprisedatSourceY?
HowsimilarareSourcesEandFon?Usethesourceandyourownknowledgeto
explainyouranswer.

Focusofthequestion:
Sourcecomparison/similaritiesanddifferences

Sentencestarters:
SourcesEandFaresimilaron[bigpoint]
SourceEstatesthat[directlinktothesource]ThisissupportedbySourceF
[directlinktothesource]
HoweverSourcesEandFaredifferenton[bigpoint]
SourceEstates[directlinktothesource]WhilstSourceFexplains[directlink
tothesource]

TopTips:
Explainatleastonesimilarityandonedifference
Usethesourcesdirectly

Lowtohighlevelanswers:
Lowlevelanswers

Highlevelanswers
Describessurfacefeatures

Describes/interpretsonesourcenocomparison

Describes/interpretsbothsourcesnocomparison

AnswerswhichseesimilaritiesORdifferencesandprovide
supportfromsources

AnswerswhichseesimilaritiesANDdifferencesandprovide
supportfromsources
Questiontype:Comparisonquestions

Practicequestion:

StudySourcesEandF

HowsimilararethesesourcesinwhattheytellusabouttheBlackDeath?Usethe
sourcesandyourownknowledgetoexplainyouranswer.[9marks]

Questiontype:Thebigbeastquestion

Examplequestions:
Statement.Howfardothesourcesupport?
Studyallthesources.Howfardothesourcesonthepapersupportthestatement.?
Usethesourceandyourownknowledgetoexplainyouranswer.Rememberto
identifythesourcesyouuse.

Focusofthequestion:
Sourceinterpretation

Sentencestarters:
Iagreewiththisstatementbecause[bigpoint]ThisisevidencedinSource
whereitstates[supportwithyourownknowledge]
Sourcealsoshowsthat
HoweverSourceisagainst/opposedtoItstates/infersThisisshowninSource
by[directlinktothesource][supportwithyourownknowledge]
Sourcealsodisagreesbecause

TopTips:
Dothisquestionfirst
Clearlyidentifythesourcesyouusei.e.inSourceA
Usesourceswhichagreeanddisagreewiththestatementatleasttwoforeachside
ofthedebate
Useyourownknowledgetoexplainthehistoricalcontext
Haveaclearconclusion
Therearetwobonuspointsforreferencetoreliability.Onlymentionthistwice!

Lowtohighlevelanswers:
Lowlevelanswers

Highlevelanswers
Nonspecificsourceusei.e.nosupportingdetail,noreference
tosourcebyletterorquote

Usessource(s)tosupportORopposethestatement

Usessource(s)tosupportANDopposethestatement

Asaboveplusconsiderationofthereliability,sufficiencyof
sources
Questiontype:Thebigbeastquestion

Practicequestion:

Studyallthesources

Medievalattemptstostoptheplaguewereuseless.

Howfardothesourcessupportthisview?Usethesourcesandyourownknowledgeto
explainyouranswer.[10marks]

Awholelotmoresources

'Inthisyear,1348,in

SourceA:
OnegraphictestimonycanbefoundatSt
Mary's,Ashwell,Hertfordshire,wherean
anonymoushandhascarvedaharrowing
inscriptionfortheyear1349:
'Wretched,terrible,destructiveyear,the
remnantsofthepeoplealoneremain.'
SourceB:
MelcombeinthecountyofDorset,alittle
beforethefeastofStJohntheBaptist,two
ships,oneofthemfromBristol,camealongside.
Oneofthesailorshadbroughtwithhimfrom
Gasconytheseedsoftheterriblepestilence,and
throughhimthemenofthattownofMelcombe
werethefirstinEnglandtobeinfected.'Grey
Friar'sChronicle,Lynn
SourceC:
'Thenthedreadfulpestilencemadeitsway
alongthecoastbySouthamptonandreached
Bristol,wherealmostthewholestrengthof
thetownperished,asitwassurprisedby
suddendeath;forfewkepttheirbedsmore
thantwoorthreedays,orevenhalfaday.'
HenryKnighton,Chronicon

SourceD:
'Filthrunninginopenditchesinthestreets,flyblown
meatandstinkingfish,contaminatedandadulterated
ale,pollutedwellwater,unspeakableprivies,epidemic
disease,wereexperiencedindiscriminatelybyallsocial
classes.'(HoltandRosser,TheEnglishMedievalTown,
(1990))
SourceE:
'...Atthisperiodthegrassgrewseveralinches
highintheHighStandinBroadSt;itragedat
firstchieflyinthecentreofthecity.'(Geoffrey
theBaker,ChroniconAngliae)
SourceF:
FromthereitpassedintoDevonshireand
Somersetshire,evenuntoBristol,andragedinsuch
sortthattheGloucestershiremenwouldnotsuffer
theBristolmentohaveaccesstothembyanymeans.
ButatlengthitcametoGloucester,yeaevento
OxfordandtoLondon,andfinallyitspreadoverall
Englandandsowastedthepeoplethatscarcethe
tenthpersonofanysortwasleftalive.'(Geoffreythe
Baker,ChroniconAngliae)

SourceG:
WhatmadethingsworseinLondonwasthe
factthatitwasalmostcertainlyhitbya
combinedattackofpneumonicandbubonic
plague.RobertofAvesburysaysthat:
'Thosemarkedfordeathwerescarce
permittedtolivelongerthanthreeorfour
days.Itshowedfavourtonoone,excepta
veryfewofthewealthy.Onthesameday,20,
40or60bodies,andonmanyoccasionsmany
more,mightbecommittedforburialtogether
inthesamepit.'

SourceH:
InJanuary1349,Parliamentwasproroguedon
thegroundsthat:'theplagueanddeadly
pestilencehadsuddenlybrokenoutinthesaid
placeandtheneighbourhood,anddaily
increasedinseveritysothatgravefearswere
entertainedforthesafetyofthosecoming
hereatthetime.'

SourceI:
'TheScots,hearingofthecruelplagueofthe
English,declaredthatithadbefallenthem
throughtherevenginghandofGod,andthey
tooktoswearingby'thefouldeathofEngland'
orsothecommonreportresoundedintheears
oftheEnglish.AndthustheScots,believingthat
theEnglishwereoverwhelmedbytheterrible
vengeanceofGod,gatheredintheforestof
Selkirkwiththeintentionofinvadingthewhole
realmofEngland.Thefiercemortalitycame
uponthem,andthesuddencrueltyofa
monstrousdeathwinnowedtheScots.Withina
shortspaceoftime,around5000ofthemhad
died,andtherest,weakandstrongalike,
decidedtoretreattotheirowncountry.'(Henry
Knighton)

SourceJ:
OrdergivenfromtheKingtotheLordMayorof
Londoninthemid14thcentury:
Ordertocausethehumandungandotherfilth
lyinginthestreetstoberemoved.Thiscityisso
foulwithfilthfromoutofthehousesthatairis
infectedandthecitypoisoned.

SourceK:
TheKingandbishopsorderedchurchservicesto
beheldineverychurchatleastonceadayin
whichpeopleprayedforforgivenessandasked
Godtoputanendtothedisease.Somepeople
wentfurtherandmadecandlestheirown
heightandlittheminchurchesasanofferingto
God.
SourceL:
GuydeChauliac,aFrenchdoctorwritinginthe
1300sblamedtheBlackDeathontheclose
positionofSaturn,JupiterandMarsin1345
thisalwaysasignofwonderful,terribleor
violentthingstocome.

SourceM:
Abishopsuggested,
Sometimestheplaguecomesfromatoiletand
corruptstheair.Sometimesitcomesfrom
standingwaterinditches.

SourceN:
AcuregivenbyJohnofBurgundyin1365:
Youshouldavoidtoomucheatinganddrinking
andavoidbaths.Bathsopenuptheporesofthe
skinthroughwhichthepoisonousaircanenter.

SourceO:
Medievalpeoplethoughtpeoplesbodieswere
beingpoisonedsodoctorstriedtodrawoutthe
poison.Hereisacurefromadoctorsbook,
Theswellingsshouldbesoftenedwithfigsand
cookedonions.Theonionsshouldbemixedwith
yeastandbutter.Thenopentheswellingwitha
knife.
SourceP:
'In1350,therewasagreatpestilenceandmortalityofmeninthekingdomofScotland,andthispestilence
alsoragedformanyyearsbeforeandafterinvariouspartsoftheworld.Sogreataplaguehasneverbeen
heardoffromthebeginningoftheworldtothepresentday,orbeenrecordedinbooks.Forthisplague
venteditsspitesothoroughlythatfullyathirdofthehumanracewaskilled.AtGod'scommand,moreover,
thedamagewasdonebyanextraordinaryandnovelformofdeath.Thosewhofellsickofakindofgross
swellingofthefleshlastedforbarelytwodays.Thissicknessbefellpeopleeverywhere,butespeciallythe
middlingandlowerclasses,rarelythegreat.Itgeneratedsuchhorrorthatchildrendidnotdaretovisittheir
dyingparents,norparentstheirchildren,butfledforfearofcontagionasiffromleprosyoraserpent.'John
ofFordun(d.1384),Scotichronicon

SourceQ:

SourceR:

Source S:

SourceT: