Answer:
To calculate how many people in your class would theoretically die if a plague with the same mortality rate as the historical one were to happen today, you would need to know the total population of your class. Let's say your class has 30 students. If the historical plague had a mortality rate of, for example, 25%, it means that 25% of those infected would die. So, you would calculate:
Number of potential deaths = Total population of your class × Mortality rate
Number of potential deaths = 30 students × 0.25 (25%)
Number of potential deaths = 7.5 students
Since you can't have a fraction of a student, you would round to the nearest whole number. In this case, theoretically, 8 students might die if a similar plague occurred today with the same mortality rate.
In historical times when people didn't have our modern understanding of diseases, they developed various explanations about the causes or origins of plagues. Two different explanations were:
a. Miasma Theory: This theory was based on the belief that diseases, including plagues, were caused by "bad air" or noxious vapors. People thought that foul-smelling air or the presence of decaying matter could lead to illness. Consequently, efforts were made to purify the air by burning herbs or incense, or by avoiding areas believed to have bad air.
b. Divine Punishment: Many believed that plagues were a result of divine punishment or displeasure. They saw them as a punishment from the gods for human sins or wrongdoing. As a result, religious rituals, prayers, and sacrifices were often performed to appease the gods and seek forgiveness in the hope that the plague would end.
These explanations highlight the lack of scientific understanding at the time, and people often turned to supernatural or mystical beliefs to make sense of devastating outbreaks of disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
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