Fighting the Plague and What the Sources Reveal Flashcards

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What was the main purpose of the Plague Orders issued in London in 1665?

Their main purpose was to slow the spread of the plague by controlling infected people, houses and public spaces.

What did “shutting up” a house mean during the Great Plague of 1665?

It meant the house was locked and no one could leave or enter for about 40 days because someone inside had the plague.

What sign was put on the door of a shut-up house, and why?

A red cross and the words “Lord have mercy upon us” were painted on the door to warn others that the plague was inside.

Who were the “searchers” during the plague, and what was their job?

Searchers were usually older women who inspected dead bodies and reported if the cause of death was plague.

What was a pesthouse in plague-hit London?

A pesthouse was a simple plague hospital where the poor who were sick with plague could be taken away from crowded homes.

Why did London’s authorities close theatres, alehouses and fairs during the plague?

They closed crowded places to keep people apart and try to stop the disease spreading from person to person.

Give one way London’s leaders tried to clean up the city to fight the plague.

They ordered rubbish and dead animals to be removed from the streets to cut down on bad smells and filth.

How did the Bills of Mortality help officials during the Great Plague?

They were weekly printed lists of burials and causes of death, so officials could see where and how fast the plague was spreading.

Why might the Bills of Mortality be unreliable as evidence about the plague?

Some families hid plague cases, some causes of death were guessed, and the poorest areas were not always recorded well.

What can Samuel Pepys’s diary tell us about people’s reactions to plague measures?

His diary shows fear and panic, rich people fleeing the city, and that some people broke the rules or tried to avoid shut-up houses.

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