It may be difficult to tell when a story took place unless an author explicitly states it, but the presence or absence of technology can help a reader make an approximate guess as to when the story was set. If a character takes a plane ride, then the story very likely took place after World War II because commercial air travel became popular after the war. Of course, if the story mentions more recent advances like power windows or a driverless car, then it is far more recent. The absence of technology doesn't always mean that the story took place hundreds of years ago, it could just mean that mentioning technology was not necessary to tell the story.
It may be difficult to tell when a story took place unless an author explicitly states it, but the presence or absence of technology can help a reader make an approximate guess as to when the story was set. If a character takes a plane ride, then the story very likely took place after World War II because commercial air travel became popular after the war. Of course, if the story mentions more recent advances like power windows or a driverless car, then it is far more recent. The absence of technology doesn't always mean that the story took place hundreds of years ago, it could just mean that mentioning technology was not necessary to tell the story.
The practice of quarantine, as we know it, began during the 14th century in an effort to protect coastal cities from plague epidemics. Ships arriving in Venice from infected ports were required to sit at anchor for 40 days before landing.
