Q.1 In which century did the Black Death strike Europe most severely?
11th century
13th century
14th century
15th century
Explanation - The Black Death ravaged Europe between 1347 and 1351, during the 14th century.
Correct answer is: 14th century
Q.2 What type of disease was the Black Death?
Viral infection
Bacterial infection
Parasitic infection
Fungal infection
Explanation - The Black Death was caused by the bacterium *Yersinia pestis*.
Correct answer is: Bacterial infection
Q.3 Which animal is most associated with spreading the Black Death?
Cats
Rats
Dogs
Cows
Explanation - Fleas carried by rats transmitted the plague bacterium to humans.
Correct answer is: Rats
Q.4 What was the estimated death toll of the Black Death in Europe?
5–10 million
20–25 million
40–50 million
70–80 million
Explanation - Historians estimate that the Black Death killed around 25 million people in Europe, about a third of the population.
Correct answer is: 20–25 million
Q.5 What were the red or black swellings caused by the plague called?
Sores
Buboes
Blisters
Pustules
Explanation - The plague caused painful swellings in the lymph nodes called buboes, hence the name 'Bubonic plague'.
Correct answer is: Buboes
Q.6 From which region did the Black Death originate?
Africa
Central Asia
North America
South America
Explanation - The plague is believed to have originated in Central Asia before spreading westward via trade routes.
Correct answer is: Central Asia
Q.7 Which major European trade route helped spread the Black Death?
The Silk Road
The Amber Road
The Spice Route
The Salt Route
Explanation - The Silk Road facilitated the movement of goods, people, and unfortunately, the plague.
Correct answer is: The Silk Road
Q.8 Which city was one of the first in Europe to be hit by the plague in 1347?
Venice
Genoa
Paris
London
Explanation - The plague first entered Europe through Genoa in 1347 when ships carrying infected sailors arrived.
Correct answer is: Genoa
Q.9 What impact did the Black Death have on the labor force in Europe?
It decreased labor supply
It increased unemployment
It had no impact
It created new jobs in cities
Explanation - With millions dead, the labor force shrank, leading to higher wages for surviving workers.
Correct answer is: It decreased labor supply
Q.10 What proportion of Europe's population is estimated to have died during the Black Death?
10%
25–30%
33–50%
Over 70%
Explanation - Roughly a third to half of Europe's population perished during the Black Death.
Correct answer is: 33–50%
Q.11 Which profession became more valuable after the Black Death due to labor shortages?
Merchants
Knights
Peasants and serfs
Clergy
Explanation - The loss of labor gave peasants and serfs more bargaining power and improved wages.
Correct answer is: Peasants and serfs
Q.12 What common belief was blamed for causing the plague in medieval Europe?
Bad air (miasma)
Too much rainfall
Eating spoiled food
Lack of exercise
Explanation - Many medieval Europeans believed the plague was caused by poisonous air, or 'miasma'.
Correct answer is: Bad air (miasma)
Q.13 Which group of people were often scapegoated for the plague?
Nobles
Jews
Farmers
Knights
Explanation - Jews were wrongly accused of poisoning wells and were persecuted during the plague.
Correct answer is: Jews
Q.14 Which part of the human body was most affected by bubonic plague swellings?
Heart
Lungs
Lymph nodes
Stomach
Explanation - Bubonic plague primarily affected the lymphatic system, causing swollen nodes.
Correct answer is: Lymph nodes
Q.15 How long did it typically take for a plague victim to die after symptoms appeared?
A few hours
2–3 days
One week
A month
Explanation - Victims often died within 2–3 days of the first symptoms appearing.
Correct answer is: 2–3 days
Q.16 What was one long-term effect of the Black Death on European feudalism?
It strengthened feudalism
It weakened feudalism
It created more serfs
It expanded manorialism
Explanation - Labor shortages gave peasants more freedom, undermining the feudal system.
Correct answer is: It weakened feudalism
Q.17 Which type of plague was the most deadly, often killing within a day or two?
Bubonic plague
Septicemic plague
Pneumonic plague
Fever plague
Explanation - The septicemic form spread in the bloodstream and was almost always fatal.
Correct answer is: Septicemic plague
Q.18 Which Italian writer described the Black Death in his book 'The Decameron'?
Dante Alighieri
Petrarch
Boccaccio
Machiavelli
Explanation - Giovanni Boccaccio vividly described the plague’s impact in *The Decameron*.
Correct answer is: Boccaccio
Q.19 What was a common method people used to try to avoid the plague?
Drinking herbal teas
Burning incense
Fasting
Bleeding themselves
Explanation - People believed burning incense would purify the air and keep away the 'bad air'.
Correct answer is: Burning incense
Q.20 What year did the Black Death first arrive in England?
1337
1348
1355
1360
Explanation - The plague reached England in 1348, devastating cities like London.
Correct answer is: 1348
Q.21 Which social class gained more power due to the economic changes after the Black Death?
The nobility
The clergy
The merchant class
The knights
Explanation - Merchants gained wealth and influence as feudal structures weakened.
Correct answer is: The merchant class
Q.22 Which scientific field saw new growth as people sought to understand diseases?
Medicine
Astronomy
Mathematics
Alchemy
Explanation - The devastation of the Black Death encouraged advancements in medical knowledge.
Correct answer is: Medicine
Q.23 What was one immediate impact of the plague on urban populations?
They grew larger
They decreased drastically
They became more sanitary
They built more hospitals
Explanation - Urban centers were hit hardest by the plague, losing huge portions of their population.
Correct answer is: They decreased drastically
Q.24 What percentage of victims typically survived the bubonic plague?
10–20%
30–50%
50–70%
Over 90%
Explanation - While bubonic plague was deadly, a significant minority did survive, unlike other forms.
Correct answer is: 30–50%
Q.25 What was one effect of the plague on religion in Europe?
Increased faith in clergy
Decline in church authority
Rise in crusades
Greater tolerance of minorities
Explanation - The church’s inability to stop the plague led to declining trust and authority.
Correct answer is: Decline in church authority