How Did The Plague Affected Society

The Black Plague, a disease many would agree was both one of the most devastating and poignant events to occur in European History. A time of persecution and suffering, many had to endure the effects that the Black Plague brought with it. Amidst the consequences suffered by those carrying the disease, came the ramifications that those who were not directly affected experienced. A few ramifications were self-evident, such as trade, others were concealed within the fear that the population had lost so much already, they could no longer afford to lose anything else, whether that be dignity or pride. The plague caused many to question their religious outlook, the lack of knowledge caused false cures to develop and affected the interactions throughout Europe.

The Black Death was a disease that had a catastrophic impact on Europe. Reaching Europe in 1347, the plague killed an estimation of one-third of the population in the first wave. Each document varies with its reasons for the cause of the plague and how to deal with it.

During the mid-fourteenth century, a plague hit Europe. Initially spreading through rats and subsequently fleas, it killed at least one-third of the population of Europe and continued intermittently until the 18th century. There was no known cure at the time, and the bacteria spread very quickly and would kill an infected person within two days, which led to structural public policies, religious, and medical changes in Europe. The plague had an enormous social effect, killing much of the population and encouraging new health reforms, it also had religious effects by attracting the attention of the Catholic Church, and lastly, it affected the trade around Europe, limiting the transportation of goods. As a response to the plague that took place

The Black Death (Plague of 1348) had a deep and lasting impact on Medieval Europe for a variety of reasons. First of all, the Black Death influenced the way people lived in Medieval Europe. People formed communities, isolated from each other. Men and women also abandoned their cities, houses, dwellings, relatives, property, and went abroad. It is clear that they believed that God would have mercy on them if they fled, or that the Plague would decline outside of the city walls.

The “Black Death” is history’s first pandemic. This pandemic originated in China in 1334 and peaked in Europe. This plague wiped out entire towns. There were so many deaths, that there were not enough survivors remaining to bury the people who have passed (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). It is believed that the cause of this outbreak was because of the bacterium Yersinia pestis, according to forensic research (Saylor).

The Black Death The Black Death, also known as the Bubonic Plague, was one of the biggest pandemics in the world. It started to spread from Eastern China, to Europe in the early 1300’s, and it reoccurred multiple times during the years to come. Merchant ships and rodents were the two main ways this disease spread and infected humans (The Black Death 1348). The symptoms for this plague were extremely painful and death was the most likely outcome in most cases.

The Black Death, also known as the Plague, was caused by an epidemic of the bacterium called “Yersinia Pestis”. The pandemic struck Europe in the late-1340s and wiped out nearly a third of Europe’s population. However, this tragedy also transformed European society positively because it created an opportunity for economic benefits and the growth of Humanism.

By the end of the fourteenth century, the Black Death killed nearly 60% of Europe’s population. First arriving in Europe through sick merchants on Genoese trading ships that docked in Sicily, the plague caused boils, fever, diarrhea, horrible pain, and shortly, death. No one was sure how the Death spread, and this combined with the fast course the disease took and the primitive medical practices of the time allowed for the disease to spread through the continent in devastating time. It only took about twenty-three days from the point of infection for the plague to be fatal (Benedictow). The Black Death spread extensively through Europe, affecting both nobility and peasants.

The Bubonic Plague: The Black Death During the late 1330’s in Europe the population was growing dramatically. This caused food shortages, which began to worry the people. The summers and winters were harsh not helping with the crop harvesting. A famine broke out, and it is now known as the famine before the plague.

The Black Death occurred naturally in history. Most Europeans lived in small settlements or villages. The populations was about one hundred in each village. These villages were spread out about twenty miles apart. These villages were small and were cramped into even smaller areas. The sanitation and transportation services were limited and lacked in quality. These civilizations had little to no privacy because people were crammed into such small areas. The surrounding landscape included fields and pastures. The Black Death was so fatal due to the fact that people were living in such close spaces (Gottfried pg. 1-2). Many peasants died from the disease, probably from their poor diets and lack of nourishment. Workers were in high demand and the peasants knew it. At this time, most pandemics were deadly since there was no medicine or technology. The Black Death was not the only pandemic going around Europe, other diseases include syphilis and gonorrhea.

The Black Death has been marked as one of the worst plagues to have ever struck humans in history, since it killed twenty five million Europeans in the course of the plague, and twenty million in Asia. (“The Black Death, JewishHistory.com) The Black Death took place in England in the fourteen century and killed millions between the years 1347-1350.(“Black Death”, n.p.) This came after an already terrible period in European history known as the Great Famine which left many people dead; the source starvation. The Great Famine occurred because of terrible climate changes that led to a disastrous farming season, that resulted in England loosing “…about 15 percent of its population during the famine years, between 1317 and 1348…”

I. INTRODUCTION The Black Death arrived in Europe on October 1348 when 12 Genoese trading ships arrived at the Sicilian port of Messina after a long journey through the Black Sea. The people who gathered on the docks that was about to greet the ships met with a horrifying surprise: Most of the sailors aboard the ships were dead, and those who were still alive were gravely ill. They were overcome with fever and delirious from pain. Also, they were covered in mysterious black boils that oozed blood and pus and gave their illness its name: the “Black Death.”

In Europe alone, it wiped out at least one third or two third of the population. (Economic) The Black Death finally ended in relatively 1350, and deep economic changes turned up. Worldwide trade dropped, and wars in Europe suspended during. People had abandoned farms and villages during the plague. Serfs were no longer tied to their previous plot of land. Due to a severe labor shortage, serf survivors were able to demand higher wages and better working conditions from their new landlords. This may have contributed to the rise of capitalism. Many serfs moved to cities and contributed to the rise in urbanization and industrialization. (Cultural) Medieval society did not know what caused the plague or how it spread. Most blamed the suffering as

The plague then started to infect thousands and thousands until 35% of Europe’s population was deceased. This reduced the world population in total to seventy-five to one hundred million people. Massive loss of life was caused. For a short time war stopped and trade declined. Many of the serfs died, so the remaining ones demanded higher wages.

In its first round in 1347, by killing four-fifth of the population, the plague depopulated Florence (King 5). The Black Death impacted socio-economy and culture of Florence. The Black Death has indirect was one factor for the birth of the Renaissance in Florence (Brunelleschi’s Quest for Success 1). The plague first introduced by Genoese fleet who were carrying Black Rat and other spices from Asia (King 5). As a result of the devastating loss, the wealthy started patronizing artist to bring happiness and a new sense of hope back to Florence.