The Plague
The plague, or Black Death, first struck in the 1300s and killed 25 million people in Europe.
The plague was carried by fleas on rats. It spread quickly in London because of crowded and unclean living conditions.
In 1593, the plague killed more than 10,000 people. London closed the theatres to prevent it from spreading. In 1596, the plague killed Shakespeare’s only son Hamnet. The disease continued in England until the 1660s.
Tea arrived in England around the time of the plague. People knew that boiled water was safe to drink because germs and bacteria would be killed. This made tea a very popular drink.
Copyright © ProjectExplorer 2003-2009
Text: Sharon Panelo