Masters Thesis

A great desolation : yellow fever, smallpox and influenza in American history

This historiography addresses the impact of smallpox, influenza and yellow fever on selected events in American history. The consequences of the interactions between people and the microscopic world are very great, and there is a growing body of interdisciplinary literature examining connections between history and the spread of deadly infectious diseases. In order to understand the correlations between disease and history, a basic explanation of some aspects of virology, immunology, and epidemiology as they relate to selected disease epidemics is included. Events of particular attention include Philadelphia's yellow fever epidemic in 1793, smallpox epidemics as they affected the American Revolution and Native American peoples, and the influenza pandemic of 1918. The study of the impact of epidemics on politics, war and social life is appropriate in American history and world history courses. A lesson plan on the topic of smallpox and Manifest Destiny, using Lakota winter counts as primary source documents, is appended. Deadly epidemics are raging now and worse may be yet to come; therefore, the study of their effects in the past may better prepare students to face the future.

Items in ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.