A brief summary of the great plague in 1666

1. THE GREAT
PLAGUE OF
LONDON
1665 – 1666

2. The great plague:
• It took place in London in 1665 and 1666.
• The disease came from Holland.
• Spread by fleas that lived in black rats.

3. The disease spreaded easily because:
 It was summer.
Weather was extremely hot.
Citizen used to thrown out the rabbish into
the street.
Wealthy people, included the King, moved
away and that helped to spread the plague to
other parts of the country.

4. GOD´S PUNISHMENT?
• People believed that the disease was a kind of
punishment – retribution for sins against God
such as:
 Greed, Blasphemy, Fornication Etc.

5. HOW TO OVERCOME THE PLAGUE?
GOD´S FORGIVNESS.
“People seeking God´s forgiveness”

6. “PLAGUE DOCTORS”

7. • Plague Doctors were powerless
against diseasse.
• They tried to protect themselves
by wearing special uniform:
• A mask which fully covered their
head and a neck.
• two glass eyes.
• A beak stuffed with herbs to
purify the air they breathed in.
• Leather gloves to protect their
hands.
• A long gown made out of a thick
material which was covered with
wax.

8. Plague doctors and nurses
were hired to visit and
record the sick.
Houses where people were
infected were marked with
a red cross.
Dogs were suspected of
carrying plague,
About 40,000 dogs and
80,000 cats were culled.

9. 1665 was London’s worse
epidemic about 100,000 people
died.

10. THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON
(September, 1st 1666)
 Destroyed much of the centre of London.
Helped to kill some of the rats and fleas that
carried the plague.

11. HOW THE PLAGUE AFFECTED THEATRES
“Globe Theatre. Built in 1599”
• Akin to prostitution.
• Theatres were closed in
orden to prevent the spread
of the disease.
• Actor/Actresses could not get
money.
• The actors had no idea when
the theatres would open
again.
• Shakespeare started to write
POEMS instead of PLAYS.