As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept around the globe, people have looked to the past for other examples of deadly disease outbreaks. In the mid-14th century, an outbreak of bubonic plague, or the “Black Death,” killed more than 25 million Europeans within a five-year span. Through informative maps, critical-thinking questions, and in-depth sidebars, readers learn the similarities and the vast differences between the Black Death, the 2020 pandemic, and other disease outbreaks in history. Understanding past pandemics enables readers to keep a level head when evaluating current and future outbreaks, reducing panic and leading to positive, effective solutions.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept around the globe, people have looked to the past for other examples of deadly disease outbreaks. In the mid-14th century, an outbreak of bubonic plague, or the “Black Death,” killed more than 25 million Europeans within a five-year span. Through informative maps, critical-thinking questions, and in-depth sidebars, readers learn the similarities and the vast differences between the Black Death, the 2020 pandemic, and other disease outbreaks in history. Understanding past pandemics enables readers to keep a level head when evaluating current and future outbreaks, reducing panic and leading to positive, effective solutions.

As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept around the globe, people have looked to the past for other examples of deadly disease outbreaks. In the mid-14th century, an outbreak of bubonic plague, or the “Black Death,” killed more than 25 million Europeans within a five-year span. Through informative maps, critical-thinking questions, and in-depth sidebars, readers learn the similarities and the vast differences between the Black Death, the 2020 pandemic, and other disease outbreaks in history. Understanding past pandemics enables readers to keep a level head when evaluating current and future outbreaks, reducing panic and leading to positive, effective solutions.