WORLD HISTORY PROJECT 1200 STUDENT MATERIALS

THREE CLOSE READS Name: Date:

Directions: Before you read, look at the “Pay Attention to” and “Questions” columns. Write your answers in the third column.

Article Title: Trade Networks and the Black Death Unit #: 2

Article Author: Bennett Sherry Lesson #:

Overall question or idea to think about as you read:

In both the networks and production and distribution narratives, we generally hear about expanded trade routes as a purely
good thing. How does this article affect that view?

Reading 1: Skimming for Gist

This will be your quickest read. It should help you get the general idea of what the article or essay will be about.

Pay attention to ... Questions Your answers

Title and headings What is this article This article is going to be about trade networks and the black death.
going to be about?

Images, image How do these add They add to my idea of what the article is going to be a bout by, showing the depiction of what people back
captions, graphs, to your idea of what
tables the article is going
then thought the black death was at the time, and how death enveloped the whole trade network.
to be about?

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WORLD HISTORY PROJECT 1200 STUDENT MATERIALS
THREE CLOSE READS Name: Date:

Reading 2: Understanding Content

In this read, you will pay attention to the information that most helps you understand the article.

Pay attention to ... Questions Your answers

Vocab Are there words you

don’t understand or
recognize? Write those
words here, and then
annotate the text with a
definition or synonym
of each word. Or, as an
alternative, add them to
your vocab tracker.

Major claim and What is the main idea of The main Idea of this article is the silk road was the internet of the 1300's and it connected merchants, cities,
key details this article (that is, what
is the major claim or and trading posts. The long-distance trading system allowed diseases to spread further and faster than
thesis statement)? before.
In addition to the major
claim, what do you
think are the three most - The cause of the bubonic plague and how it spread.
important details from - The advantages and disadvantages of the plague.
this article? Explain
these key points on the
- The spread of the flea that was infected by Yersinia pestis.
right. Alternatively, your
teacher may give you
a more specific set of
questions to answer
about the main details.

Analysis and What evidence does the

author use to support
evidence
and extend the main
idea or major claim?
Provide two to three
examples.
"The Black Death spread along trade networks. Human
"The spread of Black Death was caused by the
Yersinia pestis interaction with animals and the environment also caused
its spread. Take for example Central Asia."
bacterium. These bacteria sometimes spread to
humans."

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WORLD HISTORY PROJECT 1200 STUDENT MATERIALS
THREE CLOSE READS Name: Date:

Reading 3: Evaluating and Corroborating

The third reading is really about understanding how the article relates to the idea or question you thought about as you read.

Pay attention to ... Questions Your answers

Overall argument In what ways The Mongols helped the plague travel through
were the author’s Afro-Eurasia by making the trade routes safer and
arguments logical
and credible? easier to travel.

Support What facts or ideas

from this article When the article talked about how the plague spread through Afro-Eurasia, it confirmed my knowledge that
confirmed what trade is the reason it began, and the Mongols helped trade become easier therefore giving the plague an
you already knew advantage of spreading faster.
about world history
or the era/unit
question?

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WORLD HISTORY PROJECT 1200 STUDENT MATERIALS
THREE CLOSE READS Name: Date:

Extend In what ways did This article added to my understanding of … by…

this article deepen
your thinking about This article added to my understanding of the bubonic plague, by showing me a more in depth
a topic or topics in understanding of how it spread and through were and what exactly caused it.
world history?

Challenge How did this At first, I thought… Now, I think… Or: My thinking on… changed when…
article change or
challenge your
thinking about a My thinking on the black death changed when, I learnt what exactly brought the black death and where
topic or topics in it came from and how it affected trade overall.
world history?

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