Around 1339 in northwestern Europe, the population began to outgrow the food supply and a severe economic crisis incremented. The winters were inordinately cold and the summers were arid and dry. Due to this extreme weather, a minute number of crops could produce and those that grew were dying. On the wake of these seven distressing years of weather and famine was the greatest plague of all times, The Black Death. In 1347 AD, The Black Death began spreading throughout Western Europe. Over the time span of three years, the widespread epidemic killed one third of the population in Europe with pretty near twenty five million people dead. The Black Death killed many more Europeans than any other endemic or war up to that time, vastly impacting the Church, the people, and the economy. These three social backbones were changed forever. Firstly, when the plague first reached Europe, people panicked. With thoughts of survival, many began to abandon what they had and moved to villages and country sides in hope of eliciting a safe haven from the disease. The families living during The Black Death were deprived of being endowed to call themselves a family. Where there had been no plague, there the people carried it; if it was already there, the infected fleeing granted it to increase. The abhorrence that people in Europe were feeling was alarming to their state of mind. Since the cities were highly populated, those who left for the country schlepped the disease with them and infected those who previously lived on the countryside. As many continued to run from the plague, the people of Europe sought a person to blame for the profanation. The European Christian’s of the time were xenophobic towards the Jews. The Jews were boycotted work in ... ... middle of paper ... ...d left the economy in a drastically deserted condition. The hygiene of the people in the medieval ages was already appalling. Bathing was unheard of and eye infections were prevalent because of the irrationally unbalanced diets. Animals simply added to the filth. By 1350 AD, the survivalists began to realize their nightmare was coming to an end. A decline in trade occurred because people were fearful to trade good with a once plague infested country. This was one of the long term effects of the widespread epidemic. All of these factors contributed to Europe’s period of weakened prosperity. One third of a countries population cannot be eliminated over the short period of three years without ample displacements' to its’ economy, Church life, and family life. Through these losses, a tiny insect toppled Europe’s social structure and altered Middle Age society forever.
The Black Death: Natural and Human Disaster in Medieval Europe written by Robert Steven Gottfried is a narrative style book that goes over the environmental and human effects the Black Death had in 12th Century Europe. Gottfried’s thesis is that the Black Death is the greatest biological and environmental event in European history. When the Black Death came to pass, the amount of mortality surrounding the European people pushed them to think harder, and to think deeper about the sanctity of life, and that new mindset triggered some of the major changes in Europe that followed after that, which would eventually lead Europe out of the Medieval Age. Gottfried successfully conveys the historical significance of the Black Death the way he uses the
The Black Death struck Europe in a time of great despair. "Although a `Great Famine' struck northern Europe between 1315 and 1322, nothing prepared Europeans for the horrendous onslaught of the Black Death" (Aberth, 2). The famine had caused a massive hunger shortage from which Europe had yet to recove...
The Black Death is the name later given to the epidemic of plague that ravaged Europe between 1347 and 1351. The disaster affected all aspects of life. Depopulation and shortage of labor hastened changes already inherent in the rural economy; the substitution of wages for labor services was accelerated, and social stratification became less rigid. Psychological morbidity affected the arts; in religion, the lack of educated personnel among the clergy gravely reduced the intellectual vigor of the church.
No other epidemic reaches the level of the Black Death which took place from 1348 to 1350. The epidemic, better regarded as a pandemic, shook Europe, Asia, and North Africa; therefore it deems as the one of the most devastating events in world history. In The Black Death: The Great Mortality of 1348-1350, John Aberth, compiles primary sources in order to examine the origins and outcomes of this deadly disease. The author, a history professor and associate academic dean at Vermont’s Castleton State College, specializes in medieval history and the Black Death. He wrote the book in order to provide multiple perspectives of the plague’s impact. Primarily, pathogens started the whole phenomenon; however, geological, economic, and social conditions
The Bubonic Plague, or more commonly known as ‘The Black Death’ or ‘The Black Plague,’ was one of the most devastating and deadliest pandemics that humans have ever witnessed in the history of mankind. The disease spanned two continents in just a few years, marking every country between Western Europe all the way to China. During the reign of the plague, which is estimated to be the years between 1347-1352, it is estimated that “20 million people in Europe–almost one-third of the continent’s population” was killed off due to the plague. The Black Plague would change the course of European history since the plague knew no boundaries and inflicted its wrath upon the rich and the poor alike. As a result, not only did the plague have a devastating demographic impact which encountered a massive social disruption, but also, an economic and religious impact as well.
Beginning from plague eruption in 1347 until the 1350’s, disease raced out of Asia, west into the Middle East and throughout Europe. Initially carried by rodents, fleas, and spread through, travel, dense populations, and poor hygiene; the Black Death claimed the lives of an estimated third to a half of the European population.
The Black Death was a dark period of human history, approximately 60% of European died. Black Death also known as the bubonic plague, it happened during 1346-1353. The plague spread during the crusades along the ships, and it was originated from a mice from Asia. It is a irremediable disease. The plague made so many negative influence on society, as well as positive effects on human population, such as social, medical and economical effects.
It cannot be argued that the Black Plague was detrimental to every aspect of Europe’s communities. It was a powerful epidemic that wiped out a third of the continent’s population. Out of the midst of all its terror, however, positive after effects presented themselves. Some of these effects included revolutions in the church and society, eventually leading to the separation of church and state. Feudalism was also challenged as peasants demanded wages and revolted. Along with social changes came technological innovations, new inventions, and an attention to hygiene and the beginning of modern medicine. The plague may have devastated Europe, but it also gave way to a new era.
Did you know that during the years 1348 and 1351 up to 75 million trough 200 million people died because of the Black Death? Well if not, then an interesting fact is that it killed about 30% to 50% of Europe’s population during that time, this all began in china but soon this deadly disease started to spread quickly.
This affected more than just Europe, it really hurt countries in the Middle East and China. The Black Death was spread by the Mongols and passed into Europe through black rats and fleas. Ships were known to arrive in Europe with many dead bodies and only rats living. Symptoms of the Black Death included puss filled abscesses that ended up turning your whole body black. It is believed that after receiving symptoms of the deadly disease people would only survive a few days. It was feared that the entire population would be wiped out by this devastating plague. People of this age believed the plague had meaning and was related to God, there were different perceptions of why the Bubonic plague happened, although some believed God caused it, others strongly believed that it was not possible for God to commit an act that would cause so many issues to the world and its society. The population that survived the Black Death were traumatized by the events and also affected negatively economically. An effect of the plague was a shortage of labor which caused a shortage of supply and increase in demand of workers and laborers. The whole of Europe had changed because of this event and things such as revolts. Protests, and up rise started to occur in cities all over Europe. The Black Death changed the attitudes and thinking of the people of Europe
The officials, doctors, and pastors would also try to escape the village and the plague’s certain death. Most times they would would be frowned upon for leaving and even punished for leaving their duties and positions. As more villages fell to the disease people looked to their religion and in Germany people thought the plague to be an act of God. They did penance to avoid becoming sick and they also went around Europe and sang hymns to other people trying to recruit more people. At first the practice was tolerated by most officials, but as it became more extreme and they began to beat themselves and others, it was condemned and by 1350 the movement was over. Another movement is Germany was a belief that the Jews were the reason that the plague was happening. They were blamed for poisoning wells in villages with the plague. Non-Jews and the councils of Germany ordered many massive killings of Jews. Outside forces like the pope told that they need to stop, but the killings continued until World War
The Black Death plague had disastrous consequences for Europe in the 14th century. After the initial outbreak in Europe, 1347, it continued for around five years and then mysteriously disappeared. However, it broke out again in the 1360s and every few decades thereafter till around 1700. The European epidemic was an outbreak of the bubonic plague, which began in Asia and spread across trade routes. When it reached Europe, a path of destruction began to emerge.
After the Black Death took the cities, shortly after it spread into the villages and farms. Killing the farm workers, the Black Death left crops not gathered which led to a shortage of food supplies and people to starve. Because of the mortality and the labor shortage, prices of goods dropped while the wages rose. Landowners were so desperate that they tried everything to keep the peasants to work for them. This gave the perfect opportunity for the laborers to demand higher wages how much they were valued. During the epidemic, the societies in Europe found their own ways to live through the Black Death. Some people thought that it God that created the plague, so he can punish the people because of their sins. Other people tried to enjoy as much as possible their last moments of their lives because they knew they would eventually die. Day and night people were getting drunk and move from one tavern to another and satisfying every last-minute wish they could. A social long-term consequence of the Black Death was that people lost their faith and were against God because he could not save them from the epidemic. Another consequence covers the economic change of the lower and middle-class people. During the 14th century peasants were at the very bottom but thanks to the Black Death their lives changed dramatically. After the epidemic was over, they were very
The plague swept through killing about 70 million people. This was over half the population at the time. This had a major effect on the economy. One of the biggest effect was that most work ceased because of lack of workers. People were also left with an abundance of goods because the infected would die so fast. With less workers those who could work had much higher pay. Manors were at high threat they were very low on workers and without workers they could not operate on their own. Serfs were now free. If they left their master they would instantly be hired by another one because workers were so
...lted in the decline of businesses. "The labor shortage was very severe and consequently wages rose. Because of the mortality, there was an oversupply of goods and prices dropped. Between the two trends, the standard of living rose, for those still living. Farms or entire villages died out or were abandoned as the few survivors decided not to stay on" (Knox). "The once positive outlook people had on the life of the thirteenth century had perished along with the many lives the plague took along with it" (Rowling, 188).