I.  Activating Prior Knowledge
What is an epidemic? How does an epidemic impact the lives of the people who are ill and the people who survive?

II.  Setting A Purpose for Reading
The Black Plague struck terror in the hearts of all people during the Middle Ages. As you read, take note of the symptoms of the Bubonic Plague. How would you have reacted if a member of your family would have started showing these symptoms?

III.  Reading the Text (Read, Re-Read, and Read Again)

Giovanni Boccaccio, Italian writer from Florence wrote this description of the plague in an introduction to The Decameron.

The Signs of Impending Death

"The symptoms were not the same as in the East, where a gush of blood from the nose was the plain sign of inevitable death; but it began both in men and women with certain swellings in the groin or under the armpit. They grew to the size of a small apple or an egg, more or less, and were vulgarly called tumours. In a short space of time these tumours spread from the two parts named all over the body.

STOP! Can you answer this question? If not, go back and re-read the passage.
What were the signs of the Bubonic Plague? How long did it take for it to spread?

Soon after this the symptoms changed and black or purple spots appeared on the arms or thighs or any other part of the body, sometimes a few large ones, sometimes many little ones. These spots were a certain sign of death, just as the original tumour had been and still remained. No doctor's advice, no medicine could overcome or alleviate this disease, An enormous number of ignorant men and women set up as doctors in addition to those who were trained. Either the disease was such that no treatment was possible or the doctors were so ignorant that they did not know what caused it, and consequently could not administer the proper remedy.

STOP! Can you answer this questions? If not, go back and re-read the passage.
Why did doctor's have difficulty treating the Black Plague?

In any case very few recovered; most people died within about three days of the appearance of the tumours described above, most of them without any fever or other symptoms.

Source:  http://www.historywiz.com/primarysources/blackdeath.html

IV.  Personal Reflection – Respond to the following questions in your blog. Be sure to include a quote from the text to support your response.

Part 1 - Response:  What evidence in the text best illustrates the impact of the Black Plague?

Part 2 - Response: How did the Black Plague affect life throughout Europe and the Middle East? What problems might have arose for the people who survived?

V. Peer Reflection - Read three classmates’ response and respond to what they have written.

I.  Activating Prior Knowledge
What events led to the Crusades? In your opinion, how did the Crusades alter/change world history?

II.  Setting A Purpose for Reading
The Crusades brought exposure to a wider range of goods to European markets. What were some of the new goods that the Europeans encountered as they traveled throughout Eastern Europe and the Middle East? What impact will the exposure to these goods have on the Europeans?

III.  Reading the Text (Read, Re-Read, and Read Again)

The capture of a caravan by King Richard reveals the variety and quantity of goods transported by camels, dromedaries, horses, and asses from Asia to Europe in the twelfth century, and during all the Crusades.

By this defeat the pride of the Turks was entirely cast down, and their boldness effectually repressed; whilst the caravan, with all its riches, became the spoil of the victors. Its guards surrendered to our soldiers themselves, their beasts of burden, and sumpter horses; and stretching forth their hands in supplication, they im plored for mercy, on condition only that their lives should be spared. They led the yoked horses and camels by the halter, and offered them to our men, and they brought mules loaded with spices of different kinds, and of great value; gold and silver; cloaks of silk; purple and scarlet robes, and variously-ornamented apparel, besides arms and weapons of divers forms; coats of mail, commonly called gasiganz; costly cushions, pavilions, tents, biscuit, bread. barley, grain, meal, and a large quantity of conserves and medicines; basins, bladders, chess-boards; silver dishes and candlesticks; pepper, cinnamon, sugar, and wax; and other valuables of choice and various kinds; an immense sum of money, and an incalculable quantity of goods, such as had never before (as we have said) been taken at one and the same time, in any former battle.

STOP! Can you answer this questions? If not, go back and re-read the passage.
What is the author's purpose for recording the goods of the captured caravan?

IV.  Personal Reflection – Respond to the following questions in your blog. Be sure to include a quote from the text to support your response.

Part 1 - Response:  What evidence in the text best illustrates the wealth and power of the Turks during the Crusades?

Part 2 - Response: Based on the information in the selection, what conclusions did the Europeans draw about the Turks?  How might those conclusions impact the lives of the Europeans and Turks?

V. Peer Reflection - Read three classmates’ response and respond to what they have written.

Source.
From: Geoffrey de Vinsauf's Itinerary of Richard I and Others, to the Holy Land, translation in Chronicles of the Crusades, ed. H. G. Bohn, (London, 1848), p. 307, reprinted in Roy C. Cave & Herbert H. Coulson, A Source Book for Medieval Economic History, (Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Co., 1936; reprint ed., New York: Biblo & Tannen, 1965), p. 155.

Scanned by Jerome S. Arkenberg, Cal. State Fullerton. The text has been modernized by Prof. Arkenberg.

Raphael - "Battle of Ostia"
Source:  http://artmight.com/albums/classic-r/Raphael-1483-1520/Raphael-The-Battle-of-Ostia.jpg

I.  Activating Prior Knowledge
Looking at the "Battle of Ostia" by Raphael, how can one determine that this is a whWhat events led to the Crusades? In your opinion, how did the Crusades alter/change world history?

II.  Setting A Purpose for Reading
In ancient or modern times, serving in the military or fighting in a war is a major committment for anyone. During the Crusades, Pope Leo IV made a promise to the soldiers who fought. As you read, what is the promise that Pope Leo IV made to the soldiers of the Frankish Army?

III.  Reading the Text (Read, Re-Read, and Read Again)

Leo IV: Forgiveness of Sins for Those Who Dies in Battle with the Heathen

Given to the Frankish Army

Now we hope that none of you will be slain, but we wish you to know that the kingdom of heaven will be given as a reward to those who shall be killed in this war. For the Omnipotent knows that they lost their lives fighting for the truth of the faith, for the preservation of their country,, aiid the defence of Christians. And therefore God will give then, the reward which we have named.

In Migne, Patrologia Latina, 115: 656-657, and 161:720, trans. Oliver J. Thatcher, and Edgar Holmes McNeal, eds., A Source Book for Medieval History, (New York: Scribners, 1905), 511-12

STOP! Can you answer this questions? If not, go back and re-read the passage.
What did Leo IV promise the soldiers of the Frankish Army? How would the soldiers of the Frankish Army respond to this promise or reward?

IV.  Personal Reflection – Respond to the following questions in your blog. Be sure to include a quote from the text to support your response.

Part 1 - Response:  According to the passage, why are the soldiers fighting in the Crusades?
Part 2 - Response:  Under what circumstances would you willing serve in the military? What incentives, rewards, promises would you have to be given in order to serve?

V. Peer Reflection - Read three classmates’ response and respond to what they have written.