How Black Plague, Smallpox, and Influenza Changed World History

This class will introduce students to the influence of epidemics in world history through (1) overviews of 3 epidemics and how they changed world history, (2) discussion of the impacts of those epidemics, and (3) final discussion of possible impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The epidemics to be discussed are: (1) 2 rounds of Black Plague across the Silk Road; (2) the introduction of smallpox and measles in the Americas that led to the slave trade; and (3) the influenza pandemic after World War I that killed more people than the war and led to the CDC and World Health Organization. Students will see how much more we know about COVID-19 than was known during other epidemics. Most emphasis will be on curiosity and exploration through history rather than presenting facts for memorization.