Excerpt
Introduction: A Mystery Sweeps Across the World
Before the Black Death swept across continents, the world looked very different from today. There were no cars, no electricity, and no internet. People didn't have phones or televisions. Most kids didn't go to school, and most families lived in small villages or towns made of wood and stone, not big cities full of skyscrapers. Life was busy, but in a completely different way.
In the 1300s, most people worked with their hands. If your family lived in the countryside, chances are you worked on a farm. That meant getting up at sunrise, feeding animals, planting crops, and doing chores from morning until night. There weren’t tractors or machines to help. Everything was done the hard way—with shovels, hoes, and a whole lot of sweat. Even children helped out, sometimes by scaring birds away from the fields or fetching water from a well.
Families didn’t go to the grocery store to buy food. They grew it. Bread was made from wheat they harvested. Vegetables were picked from gardens they planted. Meat came from animals they raised themselves. If a storm ruined the crops or disease killed the animals, there was no backup plan. People just went hungry.
Towns were often crowded and noisy. Streets were narrow and packed with carts, animals, and people selling everything from fish to cloth. Horses and donkeys clomped through the mud, pulling wooden wagons. Markets were the busiest places. You might hear people shouting prices, chickens squawking, and bells ringing as blacksmiths hammered metal into tools.
But there was something missing—cleanliness. Cities didn’t have sewers, which meant that waste and dirty water often ended up right in the street. Trash was tossed out of windows. If you walked through town, you had to watch your step or you might end up in something very unpleasant. The smell? Let's just say it wasn’t great.
Most homes didn’t have windows made of glass. They were dark, damp, and smoky from fires used for cooking and warmth. Beds were stuffed with straw. If you were lucky, you shared one with your siblings. If not, you might sleep on a pile of hay or a bench. There weren’t bathrooms either. People used chamber pots or went outside.
Clothing was simple. Peasants—regular working people—usually wore wool or linen. If you were rich, you might wear fancier fabrics, maybe even velvet or silk, but those were rare. Most people had just one or two outfits that they wore again and again. Washing clothes was hard work, and soap wasn’t easy to come by.
Now, let’s talk about travel. Horses were fast, but only the rich had them. Most people walked everywhere. Long trips could take days or weeks. Roads were often muddy and unsafe. If you were going to another town, you might join a group for protection from bandits or wild animals.
School wasn’t something most kids got to do. Rich boys might be taught to read and write, especially if they were going to work in the church or government someday. Girls were usually taught to run a household—how to cook, sew, and take care of children. Poor families needed their kids to work. Books were rare and expensive because they were written by hand. That’s right—no printers yet!
And speaking of the church, religion was a huge part of everyday life. Nearly everyone believed in God and followed the teachings of the church. People went to church regularly, and many believed that illness or bad weather was a punishment for doing something wrong. Since science wasn’t well understood, people often blamed things they couldn’t see or explain.
Life could be fun, too. There were festivals with music and dancing, puppet shows, and games like dice or checkers. People told stories and sang songs. In the evenings, families might sit around the fire and talk or listen to someone play a lute or tell a tale about knights and dragons. Even if times were tough, people still found ways to laugh and enjoy themselves.
But life could also be harsh. Medical care wasn’t what it is today. If someone got sick or injured, there weren’t hospitals with trained doctors and modern medicine. People used herbs, prayers, and sometimes very odd treatments. Surgery? That was a last resort, and there were no painkillers.
Wars happened often. Kings and queens ruled over countries, and they sometimes fought each other for land or power. Soldiers rode into battle with swords and armor. For regular people, war meant higher taxes, stolen crops, or even danger to their families.
In the middle of all this was trade. Merchants traveled between cities and countries, selling silk from China, spices from India, and gold from Africa. Ships sailed across the Mediterranean Sea and wagons rolled down dusty roads. Along with goods, they carried something else—stories, ideas, and sometimes, diseases.
Before the Black Death swept across continents, the world looked very different from today. There were no cars, no electricity, and no internet. People didn't have phones or televisions. Most kids didn't go to school, and most families lived in small villages or towns made of wood and stone, not big cities full of skyscrapers. Life was busy, but in a completely different way.
In the 1300s, most people worked with their hands. If your family lived in the countryside, chances are you worked on a farm. That meant getting up at sunrise, feeding animals, planting crops, and doing chores from morning until night. There weren’t tractors or machines to help. Everything was done the hard way—with shovels, hoes, and a whole lot of sweat. Even children helped out, sometimes by scaring birds away from the fields or fetching water from a well.
Families didn’t go to the grocery store to buy food. They grew it. Bread was made from wheat they harvested. Vegetables were picked from gardens they planted. Meat came from animals they raised themselves. If a storm ruined the crops or disease killed the animals, there was no backup plan. People just went hungry.
Towns were often crowded and noisy. Streets were narrow and packed with carts, animals, and people selling everything from fish to cloth. Horses and donkeys clomped through the mud, pulling wooden wagons. Markets were the busiest places. You might hear people shouting prices, chickens squawking, and bells ringing as blacksmiths hammered metal into tools.
But there was something missing—cleanliness. Cities didn’t have sewers, which meant that waste and dirty water often ended up right in the street. Trash was tossed out of windows. If you walked through town, you had to watch your step or you might end up in something very unpleasant. The smell? Let's just say it wasn’t great.
Most homes didn’t have windows made of glass. They were dark, damp, and smoky from fires used for cooking and warmth. Beds were stuffed with straw. If you were lucky, you shared one with your siblings. If not, you might sleep on a pile of hay or a bench. There weren’t bathrooms either. People used chamber pots or went outside.
Clothing was simple. Peasants—regular working people—usually wore wool or linen. If you were rich, you might wear fancier fabrics, maybe even velvet or silk, but those were rare. Most people had just one or two outfits that they wore again and again. Washing clothes was hard work, and soap wasn’t easy to come by.
Now, let’s talk about travel. Horses were fast, but only the rich had them. Most people walked everywhere. Long trips could take days or weeks. Roads were often muddy and unsafe. If you were going to another town, you might join a group for protection from bandits or wild animals.
School wasn’t something most kids got to do. Rich boys might be taught to read and write, especially if they were going to work in the church or government someday. Girls were usually taught to run a household—how to cook, sew, and take care of children. Poor families needed their kids to work. Books were rare and expensive because they were written by hand. That’s right—no printers yet!
And speaking of the church, religion was a huge part of everyday life. Nearly everyone believed in God and followed the teachings of the church. People went to church regularly, and many believed that illness or bad weather was a punishment for doing something wrong. Since science wasn’t well understood, people often blamed things they couldn’t see or explain.
Life could be fun, too. There were festivals with music and dancing, puppet shows, and games like dice or checkers. People told stories and sang songs. In the evenings, families might sit around the fire and talk or listen to someone play a lute or tell a tale about knights and dragons. Even if times were tough, people still found ways to laugh and enjoy themselves.
But life could also be harsh. Medical care wasn’t what it is today. If someone got sick or injured, there weren’t hospitals with trained doctors and modern medicine. People used herbs, prayers, and sometimes very odd treatments. Surgery? That was a last resort, and there were no painkillers.
Wars happened often. Kings and queens ruled over countries, and they sometimes fought each other for land or power. Soldiers rode into battle with swords and armor. For regular people, war meant higher taxes, stolen crops, or even danger to their families.
In the middle of all this was trade. Merchants traveled between cities and countries, selling silk from China, spices from India, and gold from Africa. Ships sailed across the Mediterranean Sea and wagons rolled down dusty roads. Along with goods, they carried something else—stories, ideas, and sometimes, diseases.