Historical Examples

Question 1

what is the book by william mcneill written in 1975?

Answer 1

plagues and people

Question 2

What is the main argument of William McNeill’s book?

Answer 2

The book argues that infectious diseases have played a significant role in shaping historical events.

Question 3

How does the book approach the impact of infectious diseases - regionally or globally?

Answer 3

uses a global approach to show impact of infectious disease

Question 4

what does william mcneills book highlight as a source of childhood pathogens?

Answer 4

uses chronological approach showing neolithic domestication of animals as source

Question 5

How does the mcneill explain the loss of first nation populations in 16-17th century America?

Answer 5

by emphasizing the development of natural immunity in human populations as a contributing factor.

Question 6

what disease emerged in the paleolithic period?

Answer 6

herpes virus - 1-2 mya based on molecular clock (95% prevalence)

Question 7

what occured in neolithic period?

Answer 7

• domesticated plants
• domestic animals source of pathogens
• camel smallpox related to smallpox

Question 8

What did genomic analysis about smallpox suggest

Answer 8

That it jumped the species barrier from camel to human in Central Asia around 5000-10000bp

Question 9

First civilizations (5000bp)

Answer 9

City states with increased population –spread of measels and mumps
Epidemics recorded by: Thucydides, Lucretius, Procopius (plague mainly)

Question 10

Middle Ages (5th-14th century)

Answer 10

10th century–Razes describes difference between measles and mumps

Question 11

1348 black death pandemic

Answer 11

Started in central asia and spread to Europe
-Boccacio’s Decameron

Question 12

small pox epidemics in 18th century

Answer 12

Introduction of inoculation
Letter in 1726 from China describing smallpox inoculation
Chinese emperor had army all inoculated to prevent political overtake