The Black Death
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| HIST3052 | History | 3 | 40 | Full Year UK |
- Code
- HIST3052
- School
- History
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 40
- Semesters
- Full Year UK
Summary
The Black Death of later fourteenth century killed between a third and a half of the English population in eighteen months. This research based module uses translated sources and focused case studies in conjunction with historiography to examine the impact of this human disaster upon the economy, society and culture of England between 1348 and 1520. Whilst the module engages with the topic of mortality, it concentrates upon the stories of the plagues' survivors. Topics include:
• The arrival of the plague and its immediate consequences
• Religious and scientific explanations of the plague
• Crime, violence and (unnatural) death
• Shifting attitudes to religion; the growth of lay religion and guilds
• serf to yeoman - peasant society and how it changed in the period
• merchant to entrepreneur - mercantile society, mercantile life and culture
• The Gentry in the post-plague world
• Sheep eat men - gentry capitalists, deserted medieval villages and the move to large-scale pastoral agriculture
• Women’s lives after the Black Death
Target Students
Students must have taken HIST1001 or HIST1002.
Classes
- One 1-hour seminar each week for 20 weeks
- One 2-hour seminar each week for 20 weeks
Assessment
- 30% Coursework 1: 3,000 word coursework essay
- 30% Coursework 2: 3,000 word source-based assessment
- 40% Coursework 3: 3,500 word synoptic essay
Assessed in both autumn & spring semest
Educational Aims
The module aims to provide students with an understanding of the English economy, society and culture between 1348 and 1520 and the role of the Black Death in the transition from the medieval world to the modern one; to provide an understanding of the historiographical debates surrounding the subject and the sources used to study it and, through this, to develop the intellectual and transferable skills outlined below.Learning Outcomes
(a) Knowledge and understanding.
By the end of the module students should be able to:
- Explain and interpret the major underlying forces that shaped historical change in the period under discussion and demonstrate an understanding of key features of this process (A2).
- Reflect on the nature of History as a discipline (A5).
(b) Intellectual skills.
By the end of the module students should be able to:
- Think critically and imaginatively about the subject matter (B1)
- Identify and address key problems relevant to it (B2)
- Interpret primary sources critically (B3)
- Interpret secondary sources upon it and be aware of differing historical interpretations of the subject matter (B4)
- Construct coherent and independent historical arguments of their own (B5).
(c) Professional/practical skills.
The module will develop students’ ability to:
- Select, sift and synthesise information from a range of primary and secondary sources (C1)
- To identify and compare key arguments in those materials (C2)
- To demonstrate appropriate footnoting and bibliographical skills (C4)
- To use the University intranet to access the library catalogue (C5)
(d) Transferable skills.
The module will also develop students’ ability to:
- To manage a large and disparate body of information (D2)
- To express themselves clearly, coherently and fluently in writing essays and documentary exercises (D3)
- To work and learn actively with others (D5)
- To manage and take responsibility for their own learning (D6)
- To respect the views of others (D7)
- To use IT to word process their assessed essays (D8)