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Anna Camille Guinto

Professor Green

WHAP – Block B

9 January 2017

DBQ (3)

This spread of the pandemic disease struck during the time World War I was coming to

an end. This disease spread through trade routes. Merchants carried the disease with them to the

areas they traded with. The response to the spread of the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 was

fully negative; people were especially fearful either because they did not want to become

infected or because they feared their gods were angry with them.

One response to the spread of the influenza pandemic was fear that they might become

infected (D1, D2, D5, D7). In document 1, the medical doctor mentions the chaos that is

happening from the disease (D1). There is a drop in population and there was a demand for

doctors. He mentions that all assemblages of soldiers are taboo”, which means that the soldiers

do not want to group together because they are afraid of catching the disease from one of their

comrades. There are too many dead bodies to have a proper burial for all of them. At the same

time, the government asks the doctors to keep all the paper work in good shape. The doctor

would be complaining about all of this because the government is asking too much from them, as

if it does not realize that there are too many sick people to take care of. In document 2, the

British colonial government is describing the chaos that has occurred because of the deadly

influenza (D2). There were too many people to treat that it was difficult to focus on just one

patient. “Patients had been deserted by the other residents” because nobody wanted to be

infected and contract the disease. In this, people turned to abandonment because of fear. The
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government would be talking about this because it is their duty to control their people, but they

are witnessing a lot of confusion and disorder. In document 5, the Brazilian newspaper writer is

surprised by how the public health agency is ignorant towards the chaos that is occurring at this

time (D5). Brazil would be worried about this matter because they would not want to become

infected by the influenza. This would probably be directed to everyone to warn them that Brazil

might possibly become infected as well, and for them to be cautious. In document 7, the poster

is informing people about how they will try to prevent the spread of disease in a Chicago theatre

(D7). They are telling them that if they have any form of sickness, they should stay home.

People are fearful to get infected with the disease. Chicago’s goal is to make Chicago “the

healthiest city in the world”. This poster would be directed to the sick people so that they do not

contaminate the theatre. This influenza pandemic is known as one of the deadliest flus in

modern history.

Another response to the spread of the influenza pandemic was fear that their gods were

angry with them (D3, D4, D6). In document 3, a sanitary commissioner is saying how people in

India are against the treatment of medicinal drugs (D3). They are Hindu. Hindus are against any

form of medical drugs, and prefer natural medicine. People in India believed that the goddess

Amman brought the disease to them because she was angry with them. In document 4, a

Christian science monitor is describing how the Christians’ viewpoints toward God have shifted

from feeling at peace to feeling afraid (D4). The people are afraid because they are convinced

that God sent them the disease. They thought that God was angry with them. In document 6, the

British soldier is talking about rumors that he hears from areas in East Africa (D6). The rumors

are about how God brought the disease because he wants to “wipe humanity off”. This was

probably written to show how powerful God can be. This would only be directed to those who
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believe in God because if someone does not believe in God, they would not believe in these

rumors. About 50 million people died from this worldwide influenza.

The Hindus who were afraid that their gods were angry with them and brought them the

disease are similar to the people in Mesopotamia, who were afraid to anger their gods or else

their crops will not grow. They are similar because both fear that if they are disobedient to their

gods, the gods will make their lives miserable. The influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 is similar

to the bubonic plague (Black Death) in that began in 1348. They are similar because both were

very deadly diseases, causing a huge decline in population and high mortality rates.

The spread of the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 had negative responses; people were

fearful either because they did not want to contract the disease or because they believed their

gods were punishing them. In this, many people turned to abandonment and extreme caution.
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Anna Camille Guinto

Professor Green

WHAP – Block B

9 January 2017

Comparison Essay (2)

The spread of epidemic diseases in the Americas in the 16th century and the spread of

epidemic diseases in Eurasia during the 14th century both had no immunities, were transmitted

through invaders, suffered a huge decline of population, and disrupted existing societies.

The spread of epidemic diseases in the Americas in the 16th century and the spread of

epidemic diseases in Eurasia during the 14th century both had no immunities. This is a

comparison because back then there was no medicine to cure diseases. In the Americas in the

16th century, the diseases were small pox, influenza, and measles. The American Indians had no

immunities to them, so when the indigenous population contracted these epidemic diseases,

many people died from it. In Eurasia in the 14th century, the diseases were a series of plagues,

known as bubonic plagues. When the bubonic plague reached south China, central Asia, Europe,

and the Middle East, it quickly caused thousands of deaths to many communities who had no

immunities to the plagues.

The spread of epidemic diseases in the Americas in the 16th century and the spread of

epidemic diseases in Eurasia during the 14th century both were transmitted by invaders. This is a

comparison because both epidemic diseases entered the communities with the invaders, who

unknowingly carried them. In the Americas in the 16th century, the Europeans who entered the

Americas may already have the viruses in their bodies. European interactions with the

indigenous people caused the viruses from small pox, measles, and influenza to quickly spread to
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the population who experienced these diseases for the first time. In Eurasia in the 14th century,

the Mongols were blamed for the transmission of the epidemic diseases. When the Mongols

entered their newly conquered territories, they brought with them the livestock that had fleas

infected with the plague. Another way the disease spread was through the rats that were eating

the grain that the merchants were transporting along trade routes. These trade routes between the

east and the west were under Mongol control. These rats also had fleas on them. The fleas on

both the livestock and the rats carried with them the bubonic plague. This disease spread from

south China and central Asia to Europe and the Middle East.

The spread of epidemic diseases in the Americas in the 16th century and in Eurasia during

the 14th century both resulted into a huge decline of population. This is a comparison because as

a result of untreatable diseases, mortality rates rose as many people died. In the Americas in the

16th century, the European invasion resulted in a severe population decline. In Peru, between

1530 and 1590, there was a population loss from about 10 million to 1.5 million. In central

Mexico, diseases were one of major factors that caused population decline. The population

dropped from 25 million in 1519 to 2 million or less in 1580. In Eurasia during the 14th century,

the bubonic plague killed thousands of people in China, central Asia, Europe, and the Middle

East. This became known as the Black Death. In some areas in Europe and in the Middle East,

mortality rates ranged from 50% or higher. One-third of the population in Europe died within 30

years.

The spread of epidemic diseases in the Americas in the 16th century and the spread of

epidemic diseases in Eurasia during the 14th century both deeply changed the societies. This is a

comparison because as result of the population loss from the epidemic diseases, societies were

disrupted. In central America in the 16th century, after the indigenous people died, the farming
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lands that used to be occupied by the locales were seized by the Europeans, who then raised

livestock on the lands abandoned by the natives. The Spanish concentrated the remaining local

population in fewer towns. In Europe in the 14th century, the Black Death devastated the

medieval society. When the series of plagues spread through communities, the Black Death

quickened the decline of feudal society. As people died, there were no serfs to do labor on the

land. As a result, many manors were not able to function. People also abandon their villages

because they were afraid that the diseases were there.

The spread of disease in Eurasia during the 14th century and the spread of disease in the

Americas in the 16th century are similar to the spread of the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919.

Like in Eurasia and the Americas, the pandemic disease brought fear to many people. There

were high death rates and the populations severely dropped. Another similarity to the spread of

disease in Eurasia in the 14th century is the epidemic disease in West Africa called Ebola in the

21st century. It is said that both diseases were carried by animals. In Eurasia, the bubonic plague

was carried by fleas on rats while in West Africa, Ebola was carried by monkeys and bats.

The spread of epidemic diseases in the Americas in the 16th century and the spread of

epidemic diseases in Eurasia during the 14th century both had no medicine to treat the sick

people, were brought by invaders, caused mortality rates to rise, and disrupted the societies that

were affected by the diseases.