Plagues and pandemics are a frequent occurrence in world history.  A plague can collapse a civilization or an empire, but it can also create opportunities that would not have existed without the chaos.  Worldwide, plagues and pandemics have cycled through in a variety of forms and with a variety of different conditions.  Humans deal with plagues in a variety of ways throughout history, both at a governmental and individual level.  This course will explore several of the most significant plagues and pandemics in world history.  In each example, we will look at the disease itself, but also on the short and long term reactions to the crisis.  We will look at written and visual sources demonstrating how people saw and felt about the situation, as well as how the disease altered the course of history in positive and negative ways.
Week 1-The Roman Empire
Week 2-Han dynasty China
Week 3-The Black Death
Week 4-Smallpox and conquest
Week 5-Cholera and the Industrial Age
Week 6-Spanish flu and World War I