Essay On The Black Death

Argumentative Essay On Black Death
The victims of this plague suffered from delusions, nightmares, fevers and swellings in the groin,
armpits and behind their ears. Some of the sufferers went into comas while others reported being
highly delusional. At the time period this was going on there wasn't any medicine that they have
tried to cure this plague. This plague ended up being contained in 750 CE it took 208 years for
this plague to pass because they couldn't find a cure for it because they didn't have a strong medical
field this plague spread exponentially. They couldn't find a way to actually cure this disease because
it was combined with the Black Death so they were killing all their skilled doctors before they could
even begin to start on a cure for this disease. One historian by the name of Procopius has reported
that 10,000 people per day have been...show more content...
A pandemic differs from epidemic because a pandemic affects a large area while an epidemic
affects a localized area. Old people, young kids (approximately younger than 5) and pregnant
women are more at risk of getting ill from a pandemic or epidemic. The conditions of declaring a
pandemic is if the virus is able to cause serious illnesses or even deaths it has to be a virus that can
be spread from human to human It also needs to have little to none immunity levels. The societal
factors that will increase the pandemic are water supply, sanitation facilities, food, climate, and
temperature. Water supply could be a factor because people could have contaminated the water
causing the water to infectious meaning that if they drink it then they could get the disease
themselves. Food because if they kill and eat an animal without killing all the bacteria in the animal
then they could get the disease. Climate and temperature because sometimes if the temperature
becomes too hot then that could make the bacteria increase
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

The Black Death Essay
The Black Death
The Black Death, the most severe epidemic in human history, ravaged Europe from 1347–1351. This
plague killed entire families at a time and destroyed at least 1,000 villages. Greatly contributing to
the Crisis of the Fourteenth Century, the Black Death had many effects beyond its immediate
symptoms. Not only did the Black Death take a devastating toll on human life, but it also played a
major role in shaping European life in the years following.
The Black Death consisted mainly of Bubonic plague, but pneumonic plague was also present in the
epidemic. Symptoms of the Bubonic plague included high fever, aching limbs, and blood vomiting.
Most characteristic of the disease were swollen lymph nodes, which grew until they...show more
content...
European economy and society changed drastically following the Black Death. Because so many
people had died, there was a huge labor shortage. This contributed to the end of the feudal system,
since serfs could often leave their manors and make a better living in cities. In addition to better
work opportunities, survivors of the plague had a surplus of material goods. Many of the dead had
left behind entire estates and other belongings. These goods were available through inheritance and
looting. At this time, the pawnshop business, made famous by the Medici family, became extremely
successful. Through these factors, Europe experienced an overall rise in its standard of living.
The plague also affected religion and art, which became very dark and preoccupied with death.
Many people believed that the Black Death came from God's extreme anger at the world. A group of
fanatics, called Flagellants, inflicted various punishments on themselves in an attempt to atone for
the world's sins––and end the disease. An artistic style known as the danse macabre depicted
skeletons and corpses mingling with the living during happy occasions. These actions reminded the
people of the overriding sense of doom that shadowed their lives because of the Black Death.
The Black Death changed European history in many significant ways. Its fatal symptoms took many
human lives, and its influence carried over into many areas of society. Economically, Europe
flourished because

Essay on The Black Death
The Black Death
The Black Death had profound effects on Medieval Europe. Although most people did not realize it
at the time, the Black Death had not only marked the end of one age but it also denoted the
beginning of a new one, namely the Renaissance.
Between 1339 and 1351a.d, a pandemic of plague called the Black Death, traveled from China to
Europe affecting the importance of cities, creating economic and demographic crises, as well as
political dislocation and realignment, and bringing about powerful new currents in culture and
religion.
In the beginning, the Italian town of Genoa was one of the busiest ports in Europe. Ships sailed
from there to trade all over the Mediterranean Sea. In October of 1347, 12 merchant...show more
content...
The mortality rate for the pneumonic plague was 90–95%; (if treated today the mortality rate would
be 5–10%). The pneumonic plague infected the lungs. Symptoms include slimy sputum; saliva
mixed with mucus exerted from the respiratory system, tinted with blood. As the disease progressed,
the sputum became free flowing and bright red. Symptoms took 1–7 days to appear. This disease
could only be transmitted through the air, by someone's cough.
Finally the septicemic plague was the most rare form of all. The mortality was close to 100 %.
Symptoms, which took 1–7 days to appear, were high fever and skin turning deep shades of purple.
The Black Death struck the European people without warning. Physicians and philosophers harmed
rather than helped. They did not understand the causes of infectious diseases nor how they spread. It
is no wonder that they looked to priests and storytellers, rather than doctors, for answers. They did
not have the ability to understand where this sudden cruel death had come from. And they did not
know whether it would never go away.
The most common belief was that God, being a punishment for the sin people had committed sent
the plague. Even innocent people, such as infants, had to suffer for the horrible crimes of others. The
church was quick to condemn gambling, excessive drinking, the immodesty of women, and the

The Black Death was an extensive epidemic that spread across Europe from 1346 to 1353, killing
over an estimated one–third of Europe's entire population (Medieval World 56). Although historians
are not entirely sure of its origin, the Black Death spread quickly across both Europe and Asia with
a death toll that augmented rapidly. The plague also had unusual and deadly symptoms, causing
"panic everywhere, with men and women knowing no way to stop death except to flee from it"
(Kohn 28). The chaos created by the malevolent force of the Black Death impacted the society of
Europe as a whole. Despite the extent of the Black Death, we know surprisingly little of it
(Cartwright and Biddiss 38); however, historians have presented numerous theories...show more
content...
The bubonic plague was the main contender of the Black Death (Byrne 15–16) which was primarily
spread through the bacteria Yersinia pestis found in the stomach (Corbishley 47) of the
Xenopsylla cheopis, a common flea (Byrne 197). The flea would then feed on a host's blood, and
regurgitate the bacteria into the host, causing the victim to become infected the bubonic plague
(Nox). The Rattus rattus, or black rat, is considered to have helped the spread of the Black Death
by carrying the fleas that carried the bacteria causing bubonic plague (Byrne 196). Upon infection
of the bubonic plague, a variety of symptoms appeared quite quickly. During the first few days,
victims would develop a headache, chills, a fever, weakness, an increased pulse, and a white
tongue. As the disease progressed, red and black spots, also called gangrene, appeared due to the
body's tissue dying, and buboes, swollen lymph nodes filled with blood, puss, and bacteria,
appeared on the victim's groin, neck, and arm pits (Zahler 26–27). As the plague progressed, the
bacteria began running rampant throughout the victim's body, eventually developing pneumonic
plague, a plague within the lungs (Cartwright and Biddiss 30). The symptoms of pneumonic plague
mirror the symptoms of en exceptionally virulent pneumonia. Bubonic

The Plague
The Black Death
"The Black Death" is known as the worst natural disaster in European history. The plague spread
throughout Europe from 1346–1352. Those who survived lived in constant fear of the plague's return
and it did not disappear until the 1600s. Not only were the effects devastating at the time of
infection, but during the aftermath as well. "The Black Death" of the fourteenth century dramatically
altered Europe's social and economic structure.
The plague was spread by fleas, which were not effected by the disease. Fleas first infected the rats,
which lived off garbage and sewage. The rats then spread the infection to the humans. Rats were a
common sight in the cities, due to the poor sanitary conditions, so no one...show more content...
"The Black Death" alone was not the only factor that was responsible for the social and economic
change although it was the most important (Ziegler 234). Even without "The Black Death"
continued deterioration in Europe would have been likely. The social and economic change had
already set in well before 1346. For at least twenty–five years before "The Black Death," exports,
agricultural production, and the area of cultivated land had all been shrinking. "The Black Death"
contributed a large part to all of this destruction and led to important changes in the social and
economic structure of the country (Ziegler 234–235). The plague touched every aspect of social life
(Herlihy 19). There was hardly a generation that was not affected by the plague
(www.jefferson.village.virginia.edu). Families were set against each other– the well rejecting the
sick (www.byu.edu). Families left each other in fear. Many people died without anyone looking after
them. When the plague appeared in a house, frightened people abandoned the house and fled to
another (www.jefferson.village.virginia.edu). Due to this, the plague spread more rapidly because
people were not aware that being in the same house with the infected person had already exposed
them to it. Physicians could not be found because they had also died. Physicians who could be found
wanted large sums of money before they entered the house (www.jefferson.village.virginia.edu).
When the

The Black Death Essay
The Black Death Black Death, epidemic of plague which ravaged Europe in the mid–14th century.
Various forms of plague were known in the civilized world since ancient times. Greek and Roman
historians described outbreaks of an epidemic disease which were sudden and deadly: at
Constantinople in the 6th century AD, for example, as much as half the population may have been
killed. The outbreak which reached Europe from China in 1347, and spread rapidly and with
disastrous results to most countries, has been given the name the Black Death, though
contemporaries did not use this term.
Epidemiology of the Black...show more content...
More deadly still was pneumonic plague, one of the most infectious and fatal diseases known to
man. It was commonest in the cold winter months, affected the lungs and was easily transmitted, for
it could be spread by coughs and sneezes. It was 95 per cent fatal, victims normally dying within
three days of the onset.
Spread of the Black Death
[IMAGE]
[IMAGE]
[IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE]The Black Death of the mid–14th century probably began in the steppes
of Central Asia and spread to China and India. Contemporary chroniclers thought that a series of
natural disasters, such as earthquakes, had upset the ecological balance there. Merchants travelling
from the affected regions may have carried the disease along the usual trade routes to the Middle
East and the Mediterranean. It reached Constantinople in 1347, Messina in Sicily (its first European
appearance) in October 1347, and Paris and the south coast of England in the summer of 1348. It
then spread rapidly to the rest of Europe. That it continued in the winter months as well as the
summer suggests that the pneumonic form was also present with bubonic plague, for the former
flourishes in cramped living conditions where people huddle together for warmth. The speed with
which the disease was spread in a largely rural and, by modern standards, not densely populated,
society; the short interval between infection and death;

The Black Death : The Deaths Of The Black Death
Have you ever thought about how our ancestors survived through all of the diseases from
hundreds of years ago? Well hundreds of years ago in the Medieval ages, our ancestors from
Europe had to survive a deadly plague called the Black Death. have you ever thought how our
ancestors were affected by that disease? Our ancestors had to live through the Black Death and were
affected by the Black Death emotionally, physically, and economically. So many people had to
live through the Black Death and were hurt emotionally that they had to lose their family and
friends all because of the Black Death. a lot of people thought that the Black Death was a
punishment from God and the angels. people thought they were being punished for their sins.
Seracambi who was an apothecary drew a drawing that showed the Angels shooting arrows at
people to kill them. this is what people thought was happening in the medieval ages. Seracambi
drew many deaths of the Black Death. when he made records of these deaths, he started to draw
images of what was happening in the Black Death. he's are donating the images or drawings to the
local Lord as a reference. In one of his drawings for the source, he drew the Angels coming out of
the clouds looking very angry at the humans shooting arrows at them and pouring some sort of
powder onto the humans. Now because of these deaths, people were hurt emotionally to see their
loved ones and their friends just die in front of them. these pictures Seracambi drew,

Essay On The Black Death
Black Death Essay Test
The Bubonic Plague, or the Black Death, was the worst recorded pandemic in our human existence.
The Black Death ravaged through trade routes from its origins in Central Asia all the way to
Eastern Europe between 1347 to 1351. The damage the disease left behind is overwhelming as the
high mortality rate of over one–third of the European population were killed off along with the
undocumented cases of the people along the trade routes as the merchants traveled from village to
village. The plague did not just bring depopulation however, it also brought later suffering and
prosperity to the places affected. The Bubonic Plague was and still is a catastrophic disease that needs
to be remembered so nothing like it can happen again.
The plague was a terrifying disease originating from the heart of Central Asia causing chaos
wherever it might find itself, according to Text 1: TheBlack Death, "The Black Death is the bubonic
plague, and is caused by bad bacteria (Y. Pestis) which lives in the stomachs of fleas that live on
rats." The infested fleas would travel on rats who would then travel with the wandering merchants
travelling along the trade routes between Asia and Europe. The fleas would infect their prey by
biting, than vomiting into the hole they had just created to spread the disease from their stomachs to
the victim's bloodstream, infecting them. The reason for the widespread of the disease was because
rats and fleas were extremely prevalent in

Essay On Black Death
The black death was a terrible plague that killed millions during the middle ages due to the lack of
understanding on what caused it and a lack of proper medicine to cure it. The black death was a
hideous disease that could not be fully comprehended at the time but no with modern medicine it is
better understood. The way the doctors attempted to cure the black death was often unorthodox to
how it would have been handled now. the cause for the black death was unknown at the time but
with better understandings it is now known what caused the black death. the black death killed
almost a third of the population of europe from 1346–1353. the black death was a terribly hideous
plague that killed millions and the cause and cure was unknown. the black...show more content...
after hundreds of years if was come to figure out the real cause of the black death was infected fleas
on rodents. the fleas carried a bacteria called Yersinia pestis on all rodents but the most dangerous
was the black rat. the medicine used to attempt to cure the black death was ranging from
bloodletting to wearing a mask with incense burning in it. the mask and suit were thought to keep
the "plague air" outside of the suit with the burning of incense or other items. another way that was
thought to keep the plague out was a glass dome with tightly pulled around the the neck of the user.
the black death killed almost a third of the population in europe alone this is because there was a
lack of medicine to cure it and no one knew what had caused it. the black death was one of the worst
plagues in human history that killed millions the causes of the black death were unknown at the time
but with a better understanding of the lack of hygiene that people had. the medicine that was
practiced was unorthodox when compared to today's standards
Yersinia pestis on all rodents but the most dangerous was the black

Positive And Negative Effects Of Black Death
Describe both the positive and negative effects the Black Death and the breakup of the Mongol
empire had during the Renaissance.
These two events not only left Europe with no way out for a long time, but they also intervened with
the most important factor during this years. Trading. The positive effect it had was the growth of
Europe's population which encouraged trading to keep on growing as well. Europe was now trading
with Asia, which made it a lot easier, because of the fact that they could move their merchandise
through Asia and get it to Europe.
Why do you think prince Henry decided to ally with Portugal an North Africa instead of conquering
both? Did he had a special purpose with these? If so plain what it was.
First of all I think he did not have enough people to do it, and second, conquering was not his goal.
His goal was getting to discover new parts of the world, which is why his Portuguese men...show
more content...
He spent several months investigating the islands of the Caribbean and assumed this was India,
which is why he called the people Indians. People now recognized him as a hero, not only because
of the new people, but because he had discovered a route to unknown continents.
What took Portugal and Spain to create their own empire.
After the lands were discovered by Christopher, the king and queen of Spain both requested help
from pope Alexander VI to claim the land theirs. They got to an agreement, where the land would
be divided in two zones; the west be belonging to Spain, and the east belonging to Portugal. Since in
those times, geography could not be technologically proven, the treaty made,was like a push for
these two nations, and the other resting ones, to start claiming their lands and building their empires
as fast as possible.
Do you think balboa's discovery was important for the events that happened later on? Why or why

The Black Death had extensive effects on the lives of medieval citizens. The pestilence boosted the
economy, had a serious impact on religion, and advanced science and medicine. The Bubonic
Plague, or more commonly referred to as the Black Death, began in the early 1330's (The Black
Death: Bubonic Plague) . In the very populated civilization of China, the Bubonic plague was carried
by fleas. These fleas infected rats and humans. After a human was infected, the plague would spread
very quickly. In 1347, the infected of China sent the plague to Europe and to England in 1948 using
a trade route. The Bubonic plague infected the Mediterranean, France, Spain, and Italy. Then, it
spread to Britain, Scandinavia, and Russia (Mason). The Bubonic Plague also had no mercy when it
came to who would be infected. The Black Death took the lives of the elderly, children, and men
and women of all ages. The plague was not exclusive to the poor. It took the lives of nuns, peasants,
monks, archbishops, and even royalty. Life as citizens knew it before, would be forever changed.
The Black Death had a great impact on the economy. Europe had been undergoing a great
population boost up until the plague. The Black Death put an end to this boost and even broke
down the population much farther. Workers, that were still alive, demanded higher wages and better
working conditions. In 1349, an English law was made that stated that a worker had to accept the
same salary that they were given in 1346. Soon

Black Death Chapter Summary
MAKE SURE YOU PARAPHRASE OTHER PEOPLES NOTES THE TEACHERS WILL BE
CHECKING
Hey Guys use the index in the back of the book to find all of your terms!!! So much easier
How are the following significant to the Historical Lather?
Great Famine– Period of mass starvation, disease and emigration: 1315–22 occurred in almost all of
Northern Europe.
Black Death– was an epidemic outbreak of bubonic plagues in Europe around 1348 that killed
between one third and two thirds of the population in less than five years. The epidemic spanned
from China to England to North Africa. Transmitted along the silk road and other trade routes which
come from black rats
Bubonic Plague– Bubonic meaning it came from a flea. Most common form of plagued humans,
characterized...show more content...
Bacillus mostly lived on rats and squirrels. The disease covered rats traveled often due to the fact
they lived on ships. The rats were well fed and very comfortable in saddlebags. Urban conditions
were also another reason to why diseases had spread. The narrow streets that were covered with
human waste was an easy way for the disease to be spreaded. There were two ways that the
disease could have been spreaded. Person to person or directly from the rat. Houses were small
and made out of wool which allowed the rat to easily enter. Hygiene wasn't big also. Cities had
public bathhouses. Mixed with colds and diarrhea, the body had little resistance to the disease.
Fleas and body lice were everywhere.Symptoms of the disease were apple sized boils that typically
broke out on the armpit. Next the victim would have black spots and cough up blood. Usually
around this stage of the disease, it was already too late and the victim was guaranteed death.
Doctors could help the pain but could not treat the disease. Hospitals provided little help too.
Caring for the dying and only sheltering for compassion. There wasn't much help that could be
provided. Many founders try to fund hospitals and give support yet that didn't stop the disease
spreading. Many died everyday. An example being that in Vienna 500 to 600 daily died. Survivors
became more and more

Essay about THE BLACK DEATH
The Bubonic Plague, more commonly referred to as the "Black Death," ravaged
Europe between the years 1347 and 1350. During this short period, 25 million people, one third of
Europe's population at the time, were killed. Thousands of people died each week and dead bodies
littered the streets. Once a family member had contracted the disease, the entire household was
doomed to die. Parents abandoned their children, and parent–less children roamed the streets in
search for food. Victims, delirious with pain, often lost their sanity. Life was in total chaos. The
Plague was a disaster without a parallel, causing dramatic changes in medieval Europe. Coming out
of the East, the Black Death reached the shores of Italy in the spring of...show more content...
As their rodent hosts died out, the fleas migrated to the bodies of humans and infected them in the
same fashion as they had the rats, and so the plague spread
In the text, there were several ideas on how the Black Death actually developed. The first document,
written by Ibn Khaldun, described the plague in the best detail. The most common belief was that
God had sent the plague and that it was his punishment for the sins humankind had committed. Even
innocent people, such as infants, had to suffer for the horrible crimes of others. The church was
quick to condemn gambling, excessive drinking, the immodesty of women and the laziness of
peasants. Guilt lay upon every man's heart. Therefore it was only natural that the first measures
taken against the plague were the confession of all sins and prayer for forgiveness. Learned men and
women, who did not believe that the plague was sent by god or superstitions, attempted to come up
with a more logical explanation. Some thought that a "mysterious poisonous cloud" gradually
moving across Europe brought the plague. Finally, the most extreme explanation involved the
changing of seasons and the conjunctions of the planets. The weather had been affected by the
altered seasons, which was in connection to the conjunction of Mars and Jupiter. The hot and wet
planet of Jupiter, when combined with the anger of Mars, created pestilent vapors. The wind on
Earth then

Narrative Essay On The Black Death
The sun warms my back as I skip alongside my younger sister through the brightly colored garden.
A bird calls just above my head, and a sugary white rabbit hops across the road. I hear my mother
sweetly calling my name for lunch, "Alice", then again, "Alice", then more forcefully, "Alice!" I
hear a rustling from behind, as something simultaneously shakes my shoulders. The warmth from
holding my sister's hand disappears, the world goes black, and my eyes close almost as quickly as
they flutter back open. I see my mother standing above my bed, waiting expectantly – it was only just
a dream.
After slipping on my tunic and pulling my hair back, I wake up Matilda, my five–year–old sister. I
then head over to my parents for a breakfast of bread and vegetables. With the sun barely rising over
the horizon I began a long day of work, which was required by the noble who own the land. While
mindlessly feeding the pigs and sheep and planting seeds and weeding the fields, all I can really pay
attention to is the whisperings of a deadly illness sweeping across nearby villages. My heart races
as hushed voices discuss this "Black Death".
"I heard people with the Black Death are covered in red and black boils," a female exclaimed.
"Yes! And fever and muscle pains too," another described.
"My friend two towns over died three days after showing symptoms. We best avoid mice and
fleas," a man grimly said. Terrified of these conversations, I prayed for the day to end quickly so that

The Black Death
It is impossible to discuss Europe's history without mentioning the Plague of 1348, also known as
the Black Death. The Black Death reached Italian shores in the spring of 1348. The presence of
such a plague was enormously devastating making its mark in unprecedented numbers in recorded
history. According to records, it is estimated to have killed a third of Europe's population. TheBlack
Death was caused by bacteria named Yersinia Pestis. This germ was transferred from rats to fleas
and then to humans. This disease spread quickly due to the infestation of rats. Also, sanitary
conditions were very poor which did not help the problem at all. When a human was infected, the
bacteria moved from the bloodstream...show more content...
It is only fair that we give credit to something so dreadful as the Black plague for assisting and
opening the way for the Renaissance.
A New Society
Under this new plague, a new society has formed. As a reaction to such a disaster, many citizens
went about excluded themselves from society in order to avoid the plague. Homes were abandoned
and towns were left nearly empty as people enclosed themselves into small communities of only the
healthy. This was all done in hopes of preserving themselves from the epidemic. The sickly retrieved
little help as many adopted the policy to avoid the sick and everything they owned.
Many of the citizens now possessed a selfish mind frame brought on by terror and panic.
Neighbor abandoned neighbor, brother abandoned brother, and mother abandoned child. It isn't
difficult to see how experiencing such a traumatic event can change ones outlook on life. After
living through such conditions, this caused people to have looser morals. There was no longer a
need to have order and array in such a chaotic world. The lack of authority, officials, and laws only
served to prove that every man was able to do as he pleased. This new change in society and culture
happened gradually and steadily. The social structure of Europe was altered forever and it is this
change in society that marked the beginning of the Renaissance culture.
Religion
Along with a new way of thinking came a new way of believing. Many people

Brief Summary: The Black Death
The Black Death Nearly 650 years ago, in the beginning days of its time, Europe unfortunately was
not the most thriving continent. Although it did have an abundance of food availability, this sent
cities populations such as Florence, London, and Rome to grow by the dozens and brought much
instability to food costs causing poverty and starvation to its inhabitants. Its level of agricultural
production fluctuated while strain was put on the rest of the economy. Such calamity was still not
the highest of worries Europe was to encounter and in the year 1348 an unfamiliar disaster struck
the city of Genoa spreading throughout and would not cease for another two years. In 1347, near the
end of the year, trade ships returned to Genoa carrying occupants...show more content...
("Fleas") The chief of flea–born disease activity at the US Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Ken Cage, explains its process; once a flea feeds off a rat, the Y.pestis grows in its
gut. The bacteria soon blocks the valve that opens into the flea's stomach and in an attempt to feed,
they bite a host while also clearing out the bacterial obstruction. The flea regurgitates the Y. pestis
onto the bites, therefore a flea could feed on as many rats as it can carry and once a flea comes in
contact with a human and just as well bites them, the human is infected. Bubonic plague infects a
humans immune system by causing inflammation. If a victim goes untreated the disease can infect
the blood as well as the lungs creating both septicemic and pneumonic plague. Scientists debate over
whether the disease was driven by fleas or spread pneumonically. Most understand the only way
for it to have been able to engulf pneumonically, it needed a main source. Y. pestis bacteria spread
most commonly through its particles in the air, but some not so common ways it also spread was
through open cuts or open areas on the skin and body. An infected person would have a fever rising
to detrimental heights, they would experience muscle pain, and overall weakness would

Questions On The Black Death
YEAR 8 CORE STUDIES TERM 4 HISTORYName: Jemimah Hulme
THE BLACK DEATH
1. HOME PAGE
Introduction: in a few sentences, summarise What Is the Black Death? (WHAT, WHERE, WHEN,
WHO, HOW, WHY)
The Black Death, also known as 'The Bubonic Plague' was a devastating pandemic in the 14th
century, affecting mainly Europe. It was caused by a deadly bacteria, 'Yersinia Pestis' that caused
large, pus–filled swellings on the victim's body. In the space of 5 years, the plague spread rapidly
and claimed the lives of 25 million people.
2. ORIGIN AND SPREAD
When Did the Black Death Occur? Where did the Black Death occur? When and where did the
Black Death Spread?
The first signs of the Black Death were in China and India in the 1330s. England had heard rumours
of 'plague in the East'– but weren't alarmed, for China and India were still developing and both
countries had a low population.
Meanwhile, trading was becoming increasingly popular, and many ships used the Mediterranean,
Caspian and Black Seas as trading routes to get to Europe. As a result, the plague reached the
Caspian Sea and River Don in 1346. Approximately one year later – 1347– a boat docked in Sicily,
containing contaminated rats as well as many dying crew members; thus spreading the disease to
the Black Sea and Constantinople. In a short time, The Black Death had spread to what would be
Turkey, Macedonia, Greece, Iran, Syria and Iraq today. In 1348 the plague spread to the southern
regions of England, including Bristol

What impact did the 'Black Death' plagues that began in Europe in the fourteenth century have on
societies there?
The Black Death was a disastrous illness that spread quickly through 14th century Europe, leaving
many bodies in its wake and soon dominated European societies. Not only did the Black Death
ravish the population, but the plague also caused long term societal, economic and political changes.
Children were particularly susceptible to the Black Death, while tragic this had far reaching
economic consequences as this lost generation decreased the able labour population. In turn,
survivors could demand an increased wage for their services as the work force had been decimated.
This resulted in class tensions between workers and employers. Minority communities which had
been tolerated in Europe now found themselves being made scapegoats for a deadly illness. This
was particularly true for Jewish communities but some women found themselves targeted also. The
clergy were at higher risk of succumbing to the Black Death this caused many to question their
belief in the Catholic Church. There is no doubt that these factors change European society in
extensive ways which will be examined in this essay.
The Black Death in Europe was a form of the plague which caused painful sores, ulcers and spread
quickly through populations. Certain groups were slightly more vulnerable, however, the Black
Death killed quickly and mercilessly. Medicine in the 14th century was at a

Essay On Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the death
of some 75 to 200 million people in Europe in the years 1346–53. There were several competing
theories as to the etiology of the Black Death, analysis of DNA from victims in northern and
southern Europe published in 2010–11 indicates that the pathogen responsible for the Yersinia pestis
bacterium probably caused several forms of the plague.The Black Death is thought to have come
from the arid plains of Central Asia, where it travelled along the Silk road, reaching the Cremea by
1343. From there it most likely was carried by rat fleas living on the black rats that were passengers
on merchant ships. Spreading throughout the Mediterranean...show more content...
The most commonly noted symptom was the appearance of buboes in the groin, the neck and
armpits, which oozed pus and bled when opened. From the parts of the body this deadly
gavocciolo soon began to propagate and spread itself in all directions indifferently; after which the
form of the malady began to change, black spots or livid making their appearance in many cases on
the arm or the thigh or elsewhere, now few and large, now minute and numerous. It is said that the
plague takes three forms. In the first people suffer an infection of the lungs, which leads to breathing
difficulties. Whoever has this corruption or contamination to any extent cannot escape but will die
within two days. Another form...in which boils erupt under the armpits, a third form in which
people of both sexes are attacked in the groin. The modern bubonic plague has a mortality rate of
30–75% and symptoms including fever of 38–
41 В°C (100–106 В°F), headaches, painful aching joints, nausea and vomiting, and a general feeling
of malaise. Left untreated, of those that contract the bubonic plague, 80 percent die within eight
days. The mechanism by which Y. pestis was usually transmitted was established in 1898

Black Death Essays
The Black Death, also known as the Black Plague, or the Bubonic Plague killed one third of the
population of Europe during its reign in the 13th and 14th centuries. The arrival of this plague set
the scene for years of strife and heroism. Leaving the social and Economic aspect in a standstill.
The phantom of death became a subject of art, music and folklore and it influenced the
consciousness of the people. The impact of this mass killer caused enormous chaos and havoc to
the medieval society because of its unknown origin, the unknown causes and preventions, its deathly
symptoms and its breakdown of orderly life, therefore religion was greatly affected and changed. In
1347, a Tartar army under Kipchak khan Janibeg had been besieging the...show more content...
Father abandoned child, wife husband, one brother another; for this illness seemed to strike
through breath and sight. An so they died. None could be found to bury the dead for money or
friendship. Members of a household brought their dead to a ditch as best they could, without
priest, without divine offices. In many places in Siena great pits were dug and piled deep with
the multitude of dead. And they died by the hundreds, both day and night, and all were thrown in
those ditches and covered with earth. And as soon as those ditches were filled, more were dug. I,
Agnolo di Tura . . . buried my five children with my own hands. . . . And so many died that all
believed it was the end of the world." (another description) Fathers abandoned their sick
sons. Lawyers refused to come and make out wills for the dying. Friars and nuns were left to care
for the sick, and monasteries and convents were soon deserted, as they were stricken, too. Bodies
were left in empty houses, and there was no one to give them a Christian burial. The terror of this
seemingly unstoppable march of death was the unknown nature of its origin. The absence of an
identifiable earthly cause gave the plague supernatural and sinister quality. (The Black Death:
Bubonic Plague) The plague had stunned Europe and everywhere people were desperate for
explanations and answers to their many questions. Most explanations were based on

Essay On The Black Death

More Related Content

More from Best Paper Writing Services

Recently uploaded

Essay On The Black Death