The Black Death and the Silk Road: how connected was the medieval world?

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Trade, ideas and communication

Why this why now

This unit uses and builds on pupils' knowledge of various aspects of the medieval world that they have studied in key stages 2 and 3. It draws together what pupils have learnt about the geography and connected nature of the Islamic and Christian worlds of the Mediterranean, enriching this with additional understanding of the east. This unit prepares pupils for the next unit, which focuses directly on the long term impacts of the Black Death in England.

Prior knowledge requirements

That trade across Europe and Asia was a feature of the medieval world.
That Islamic and Christian worlds had been in contact since late antiquity.

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Trade, ideas and communication

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Why this why now

This unit uses and builds on pupils' knowledge of various aspects of the medieval world that they have studied in key stages 2 and 3. It draws together what pupils have learnt about the geography and connected nature of the Islamic and Christian worlds of the Mediterranean, enriching this with additional understanding of the east. This unit prepares pupils for the next unit, which focuses directly on the long term impacts of the Black Death in England.

Prior knowledge requirements

That trade across Europe and Asia was a feature of the medieval world.
That Islamic and Christian worlds had been in contact since late antiquity.

The Black Death and the Silk Road: how connected was the medieval world?

In this unit, pupils analyse the connections that existed in the medieval world by looking at the transmission and impact of the Black Death. They learn about its spread across the Silk Roads and in doing so develop their understanding of how trade and communication connected the medieval world.