In 1666, a remote mountain village is struck with the plague by an infected bolt of cloth from London. The villagers decide that it is best to quarantine themselves in order to keep other towns safe. In the midst of chaos, Anna Frith appears as a heroine and healer. Year of Wonders is based on a true story and focuses on the plague from 1666 to 1667. The book is set in a small town named Eyam, which was isolated from other villages. The plague that contaminated Eyam was called the black death. This was one of the worst plagues humankind has ever experienced since it killed 30 to 60 percent of the population. The recovery from this devastation took centuries and it made changes in the economy, society, and religion of the countries it affected. …show more content…
How did the plague spread to Europe?The plague was spread by bacteria on fleas that lived on black rats. These rats were transported from China to Europe by boats. The disease was easily obtained because there was little to no sanitation and people were in constant contact with one another. Also, medicine at the time wasn’t advanced enough to deal with such a rapid outbreak. This question came up because the bolt of cloth came from London and I began to wonder how the disease got to London in the first place. Who governed England at the time? The king and Parliament were having a power struggle at the time. They couldn’t decide who would have ultimate authority of the land. Charles II was the current king at the time. I thought of this question because during the plague, villagers followed the Rector. I then thought of who led the country while it was enduring the plague. How did the plague impact European society socially? During the plague, people abandoned their town, friends, and family in order to save themselves. Also, many lost faith in their religion. This question came up because Anna Frith flees from Eyam and ends up at North Africa. I wondered if others at the time fled from their towns like Anna