Black Death Primary Source Activity

"If any Workman or servant retained in any man’s service, do depart from the said service without reasonable cause or license, he shall have a pain of imprisonment and no one, upon the same penalty, shall receive such a person in his service.

         No one, moreover, shall pay or promise to pay to any one more wages or salary than was accustomed as is said before."
- Statute of Laborers by King Edward III of England, 1351

What is the punishment for refusing to work?

• work and wages

• starvation and the poor

• theft and bribery

• imprisonment

Answer explanation

The top section could be rewritten in this easier language:

If a worker or servant employed by any person leaves without a good reason, he will suffer the pain of imprisonment. No one shall employ such a person without receiving the same punishment.

   "If any Workman or servant retained in any man’s service, do depart from the said service without reasonable cause or license, he shall have a pain of imprisonment and no one, upon the same penalty, shall receive such a person in his service.

        No one, moreover, shall pay or promise to pay to any one more wages or salary than was accustomed as is said before."
- Statute of Laborers by King Edward III of England, 1351

Fill in the blank: What problem was this trying to fix?

Answer explanation

An easier way to write the bottom section would be:

No one will pay or promise to pay anyone more wages than was normal in years before.

What did the Flagellant Brothers do?

• whip themselves

• help the poor

• cure the disease

• convert people

"The Flagellant Brethren, as they are known, believe that the plague is a punishment for human sin, and that by scourging themselves they can show mankind’s repentance."

What did the Flagellant Brethren believe the plague was?

• a gift for good behavior

• attempt to gain wealth and power.

• getting rid of their enemies

• a punishment for human sin

Answer explanation

Look for the statement, "believe that the plague is..."

"they travel in parties of anything from 50 to 500 men, and are highly organized. Led by a layman – the master – they move from town to town to perform their rituals."

The Flagellant Brethren moved from town to town to perform their ______.

Choose the religious symbol in the picture

Write one sentence that describes this picture. What do you see in this picture? (Answer in English)

What do the skeletons represent?

• How our bodies work

• Death actively going after people

• Our common nature

• You are safe from death

How did the Black Death impact the population of these cities? (Answer in English)

"What is even worse and nearly incredible is that fathers and mothers refused to see and tend their children, as if they had not been theirs."

Fill in the blank: The Black Death led to people leaving ________.