Examination of global epidemics and pandemics in historical perspective, beginning with the infamous Black Death in Europe during the 14th century and ending with the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the late 20th century. We will trace the development of pandemics from the first unexpected and often bewildering cases and early understandings of the sources and treatments to how the diseases influenced contemporary social relationships, cultural beliefs, and medical knowledge. In addition, we will scrutinize how people’s ideas about disease shaped their responses to it, sometimes in ways that inhibited their efforts to successfully treat those affected. Through study of expert scholarship and historical firsthand accounts, we will make connections between the pandemics of the past and the world we live in today.