Black Plague Essay

Black Plague
The Epidemic is Here The Black Plague, one of the most devastating out breaks in history, is an
historical event brought about with a great depression throughout Europe. This plague brought out
the worst in mankind during the time the plague ran its course. How do people behave, when there
environment becomes life threatening? (Herlihy, 18). The Black Death accounted for nearly one
third of the deaths in Europe. Due to the death of many people there were severe shortages in labors,
during these dreadful times. There were riots throughout Europe, and the great mortality brought on
by the plague ripped society apart. Individuals were fearful searching for explanation, but in the end
the plague gave rise to the survivors such as...show more content...
The many lawmakers died leaving lawbreakers to go unpunished. Society needed many services
to be preformed. "At this moment of crisis, if you survived the Black Plague and you were able
body, you might have been put to work. Work opportunities were made available to anyone who
was alive and could work. Despite any attempt to keep the economy in order supply and demand
took over. Wages in the towns soared to two even three times the level they had held in the crowded
thirteenth century," (Herlihy, 48). The poor people started to go from town to town looking to make
the most money. "The people who could work changed there tone and wanted money instead of food
and shelter. The poor liked the fact that they were getting more money but the enjoyed the great gain
on being able to buy more land. How numerous were the famous families, the vast estates, the notable
fortunes, that were seen to be left without a rightful successor!"(Boccaccio, 13). Two things were
needed to be more economically efficient and that was consumption reduction and production
increase. In order to raise production, people would have to get and cultivate more affordable land.
With population reduction and higher wages, new agricultural technique needed to be put in place.
The new agricultural allowed those that could afford to rent the land a new investment in livestock.
In spite of the many new accomplishments the people still want to be more efficient because of the
better
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The Black Death Plague Essay
This paper is an informative paper in which this event has not been revised and should not be. It is
merely to let its reader know the tragic events in which the plague instigated and the outcome.
During the 14th century the Black Death was deadly and painful pandemic that killed over 20
million people, from 1348–1350 in Europe. Most saw it as a pestilence or plague but its known that
the Black Death arrived in Europe from a part of Asia in 1347. Within a year the Black Death spread
rapidly across the continent. It was assumed to be the end of humanity during the plague reign.
At the time that the plague had erupted there was not medical knowledge of it so there was no way
to stop it, prevent it, or ease the pain of anyone who was...show more content...
With the fear a being a sinful person, men would walk the streets shirtless and whip their backs,
disfiguring them, it was known as Flagellant, men saw the blood they spilt as relics to God.
Another thing a person would do, if they were untouched by the plague was to give themselves to
God by stopping all sin and speaking about the word of God.
When people didn't see it as the work of God but of something much darker people turned to Jews
and other ideas of what was causing the plague. Jews were blamed for it was believed they had
poisoned the water of all other people who weren't of the Jewish faith, and so the Jews were tortured
until they confessed on actions they never committed and once a Jew admitted to what the
non–Jewish faith wanted to hear, the Jew was then murdered by being burnt to death. The plague
also brought on the burning of witches who cursed humans under the work of the devil. At first
witchcraft had not scared people of faith until the death toll began to rise rapidly and people
began to panic. Many of the claimed witches were common folk women who happened to be in
the wrong place at the wrong time such as the village having a bad harvest or your neighbor
dying from the disease over time after being visited by a woman, even if you had birth defects that
marked you as a witch, and would be murdered eventually. In present day we now know it was the
work of fleas that lived on rats and then switched their host to

The Black Plague Short Story
Millions of years ago something changed the world. The Black Plague was coming. It was
between the 1300s and the 1350s. My family was dreading the day the horrible disease would
reach our little town. Everyone was depressed and all the fun we had eventually came to an end.
Everybody stayed in their house and nobody greeted anyone anymore. "Let's go Sally!" My mom
screamed from the other room. "It's dinner time."
I didn't want to eat. I knew my life wouldn't last any longer once the disease came so why even
eat. I was tired and the death continued to click into my head. I could barely sleep that night and
fear raced within my body. I woke up that morning with a knock on my torn up door. It was my best
friend Emma.
"Hi Sally!" She said...show more content...
Every town was boarded up but we hadn't gotten the plague yet. I almost thought we were just lucky
that we hadn't gotten it. As Emma woke up, I began to tell her the voices I heard last night.
"Did you hear the voices last night?" I ask.
"You heard them too?" she asks.
. "Yes! I thought it was you but you were sleeping," I tell her quietly.
"Who is talking to us?" She wonders.
From there on, every night we would hear the small whisper from the lady. After hearing the voice
every night for many weeks, I started getting scared. Emma and I got up and went to see who is
whispering to us.
We see this short lady with grey hair and glasses staring at us as we walk forward. She hasn't blinked
and she looks like a magical wizard.
"Hello," she tells us.
"Uh Hello," says Emma.
"I am here to tell you guys a very important message," the wizard explains.
"Okay begin," I tell her.
The wizard begins talking, "The plague should have already reached you guys. The plague killed
everyone in this town except you two sweet girls. I don't want you to be scared of me. Everyone in
your family has died because I sent the plague to them. I am sorry but I could only pick two people
to survive. Please forgive me! At least you guys have each other because I have to go. My name is

Zoey and I just had to deliver this short message to you. Farewell Emma and

The Black Plague Essay
The black death was transferred from rats to fleas of the rats would bite the victims. They were
not able to deal with this the sanitation process did not even exist. The knowledge of germs did not
exist. The middle ages was not a time of great knowledge. Now for you to be there during the
plague is to witness a living nightmare. It had rumors of it being the end of the world and it sure
looks like that. Would I try to get away?
Yes, would try to move where there were not cases of it being there yet and hope to survive. The
thing is that a drought or a disturbance of nature would help bring the black plague. Environmental
changes set the road for a short supply of grain. The grain being short would cause a deficit of food.
This would cause...show more content...
All this happening is shocking as a person of this current time. No antibiotics you did not have
any real understanding of diseases during this time. You have no internet, you have no computers.
News travels in the form of rumors. Your priest that might be dying is supposed to be the
knowledge you need to make it through anything. The thing is he doesn't have the answer
because he is dying. There was some believed the air was contaminated because of God course on
a man for its sin. They would burn large flames of things around them. This would keep them safe
not because it would clean the air. What it did do was keep the rats away from them and the fleas.
Less than 50 percent of the people in Europe would survive. It would take hundreds of years later
to understand the real root cause. It was only about everywhere Asia, India, Europe, Egypt. I could
only hope by the time it got to me, I had some idea of what is going on. I see why the flagellants
thought It was a curse from God, the end of the world among other things. I was shocked by the
devastation that took place at that time through video or reading about the black death. The
flagellants should not harm their self or anybody because they thought it was a curse. I am not sure
either way it would be what a merciful God would

Black Plague Papers
Derick Santos
Mr. Surina
English CP
4/6/17
The Black Plague
The Black Plague is an infectious disease that killed sixty percent of Europe. The Black Plague is
caused by a bacteria called Yersinia Pestis and is found in wild rodents that live in large numbers
and density. The Black Plague came in three forms, bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic. They all
had the same outcome which is dying in a unpleasant way. Agnolo di Tura, a chronicler, stated,
"In many places in Siena great pits were dug and piled deep with the multitude of dead and there
were also those who were so sparsely covered with earth that the dogs dragged them forth and
devoured many bodies throughout the city" (Benedictow 4). The plague was spread by rat fleas on
ships. The infected rats would die, but their fleas would usually survive to find new hosts.
One of the most frequent asked questions is how did it originate? The Black Plague or Black Death,
arrived in Europe 1347 when twelve Genoese trading ships docked at the Sicilian port of Messina
("The Black...show more content...
Within the first few days of receiving the disease, the host would experience flu–like symptoms. It
all started with an unbearable headache. This headache would last until you would die. Then you
would develop chills and fever that would leave you feeling sore and very weak. Victims also said
they experienced back pain and light was too bright for them to stand up. After experiencing these
symptoms, the effects would kick in and they were traumatizing. The host would start to develop
hard, agonizing lumps on their neck, arms, and inner thighs. The lumps would often expand to the
size of an orange. Those lumps then turned black, split open, and then oozed blood and pus. The
host would then bleed internally causing blood to be in their urine, stool, and under the skin. The
blood puddling under the skin would appear all over the body. The host would have an excruciating

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

Black Plague Essay example
Living in Europe in the middle of the 1300&#8217;s would have been heartbreaking and
dreadful. Not only were the living conditions very poor but there was an unknown disease that
was wiping out a large percentage of European population. One cannot imagine the fear of
wondering whether you or someone you loved was going to catch this deadly disease. No
explanation would make a person feel safe from catching it or dying with it. The people of Europe
just lived their lives as best they could realizing that nothing they do could ever stop this. They did
not have the power to stop this it was far too beyond them. This unknown disease is known as the
Bubonic Plague.
The plague was passed among many rodents by...show more content...
Most peasants and serfs lived in small villages of windowless thatched wooden huts. It would not
be too bad if the people knew of sanitation. They dumped their wastes into rivers from which they
drank. They also dumped them into nearby fields where livestock graze and livestock slept under
the same roof as the people. Washing was a similar problem. People rarely washed themselves or
their clothes. Fleas lice and other vermin were part of life and to be endured with. Most rats were
ignored which was not good because they were major carriers of the disease.
Many of the doctors of the time were amazed at the horrible disease. Physicians were stumped
about cure or even remedies of this illness. The only advice they could offer is to get away from it
and start off new
somewhere else. Many physicians followed their own advice and deserted areas where the plague
was to be found. Many doctors told patients that the disease came because of a corrupted or
polluted atmosphere. There were a few attempts of doctors finding a remedy. Gui de Chauliac
recommended a variety of pills, purges, and bleeding. These are all known as medieval remedies.
Chauliac seemed to think on the brighter side of things. Others like Chalin de Vinario put his own
opinion quite bluntly, &#8220;Every pronounced case of the plague is incurable.'; All the
doctors lacked one important connection: the spread of plague between the rats.

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

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

Black Plague Essay

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