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Restoration England 1660-1685High Exam FrequencyAQA

The Plague of 1665

Revise The Plague of 1665 in Restoration England 1660-1685 for GCSE History with 8 exam-style questions and 4 flashcards. This is a high-frequency exam topic, so students should expect to explain it clearly under timed conditions.

Study this topic

1

Setting the Scene

Introduction2

What Caused the Plague?

Deep Dive3

Key Statistics

Key Facts4

Government Response

Key Facts5

Social Impact of the Plague

Deep Dive6

Why Were the Poor Hit Hardest?

Deep Dive7

Exam Technique: Historic Environment

Exam Focus8

Why Was the Plague So Deadly in 1665? — The Chain of Causes

Causation9

⭐ Why Does This Matter?

Significance10

What Do Historians Think?

Interpretations11

Interpretation Analysis Practice

Source Analysis12

Key Terms You Must Know

Definitions13

Common Misconceptions

Misconceptions14

Memory Aids: Lock In the Key Facts

Memory Aid15

Exam Tips for the Great Plague of 1665

Exam Tips16

Topic Summary: The Great Plague of 1665

Summary

Sample Flashcards

What were buboes?
Swollen, blackened lymph nodes (usually in groin, armpits, or neck) — the characteristic symptom of bubonic plague. The appearance of buboes triggered house quarantine. Death typically followed within 2-5 days; mortality without treatment was 60-70%.
What was miasma theory?
The dominant 17th-century belief that plague was caused by 'bad air' (miasma) from rotting matter. Led to useless responses: bonfires to purify air, posies of flowers, fumigation. The theory was completely wrong — plague was bacterial, spread by fleas on rats.

Sample Questions

What bacterium caused the bubonic plague that devastated London in 1665?

  • A. Yersinia pestis
  • B. Streptococcus pyogenes
  • C. Bacillus anthracis
  • D. Clostridium perfringens
1 markfoundation

Approximately how many people died in London during the Great Plague of 1665?

  • A. Around 25,000 (about 5% of London's population)
  • B. Around 100,000 (about 25% of London's population)
  • C. Around 250,000 (about 60% of London's population)
  • D. Around 500,000 (over 100% of London's population)
1 markfoundation

8

exam-style questions

4

revision flashcards

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