c1250-c1500: The Middle Ages (Edexcel GCSE History): Model Answers
Explain one way in which people's reactions to the plague in Britain were similar in the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries. [4 marks.]
In both the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, people's reactions to the plague were similar in several ways. One key similarity was the belief that the plague was a punishment from God. In response, people turned to fasting and prayer. This highlights a similarity between the two eras, as it reflects how medical knowledge at the time was heavily influenced by the Church. Overall, this demonstrates a lack of progress in medicine, as medical ideas and responses had not significantly evolved since the fourteenth century.
Examiner's commentary
This is a high Level 2 response. It identifies a similarity and analyses the similarity by showing how the reactions were similar and linking to the Church (AO2). Specific information about the reaction is shown in support (AO1).