2.2 The Black Death c.1330-c.1360
Investigate transmission, spread, attempted control, reactions and the plague's disputed legacy.
How to study WJEC GCSE History
Confirm the exact option route, build chronology across its five content areas, analyse evidence in context and reach a concept-led historical judgement.
Core concepts
Concept 1
2.2.1 How disease was able to spread in the fourteenth century
Exam cue: Use this as Unit 2 only if the centre selected option 2.2 and medieval is not used in Units 1 or 3; apply the live on-screen enquiry materials.
Concept 2
2.2.2 The spread of the Black Death
Exam cue: Build a precise chronology across the five specified areas, then connect evidence to the historical concept named by the task.
Concept 3
2.2.3 Attempts to limit the spread of disease
Exam cue: Use provenance, content and context to analyse sources; compare the construction and evidence of interpretations before judging them.
Concept 4
2.2.4 Reactions to the spread of disease
Concept 5
2.2.5 The legacy of the Black Death
Concept 6
Apply continuity and change, similarity and difference, significance and impact, and cause and consequence to the selected historical topic.
Concept 7
Analyse historical sources in context and distinguish them from later historical interpretations.
Risk pitfalls and guardrails
Studying this option when it is not part of the centre's entered combination, or blending it with the alternative option in the same period.
Guardrail: Study only the centre-entered option and verify that Units 1-3 use medieval, early modern and modern exactly once.
Repeating a medieval, early modern or modern period across Units 1-3 instead of forming the required three-period route.
Guardrail: Study only the centre-entered option and verify that Units 1-3 use medieval, early modern and modern exactly once.
Treating unassessed background as a direct question target, or confusing a contemporary source with a later interpretation.
Guardrail: Do not import outgoing WJEC or Eduqas structures, combine alternative options, confuse sources with interpretations or treat background content as directly assessed.
Memory anchors
Conditions for spread
Trade, travel, ecology, settlement and limited medical understanding enabled transmission.
Geographical spread
Trace routes, chronology and uneven mortality rather than treating Europe as one experience.
Attempts at control
Medical, civic and religious measures reveal contemporary knowledge and authority.
Reactions
Compare fear, faith, scapegoating, care and social order using contextualised evidence.
Legacy
Weigh demographic, economic, social, religious and political change against continuity.
Checkpoint rule
Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.
Knowledge Check (after reading)
Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.
Check-up Questions
What helped plague travel far?
Why did towns face high risk?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Continue learning
Move forward only after this module is stable.
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