The Black Death:
The Black Death, also known as the Black Plague or the Bubonic Plague, was one of the few plagues to leave its mark in history. This was entirely because of how deadly and horrible it was; everyone felt like they were doomed to die- considering that it killed upwards of 100,000 people in only 4 months. The plague was known to have started in the east and quickly spread to the west. Why the plague started in the first place still remains one of history's mysteries. Back then, people thought that the plague was just one way God wanted to punish them for their bad deeds. No matter what the reason was, the plague started in 1347 and ended in 1350.
First of all, the plague came in three forms -all equally deadly. It was either the bubonic, pneumonic, or the septicemic; and all were caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis. However (which was transmitted from person to person with the aid of Oriental rat flea and rats themselves) , the bubonic plague was the most common of the three forms. It is thought that the first flee came from Africa and traveled by boat on the back of a rat to different parts of this world. It is also believed that the plague started in Asia and moved west with Mongol armies and traders.
SIDE EFFECTS OF THE BUBONIC PLAGUE: Some symptoms of the plague were: black or livid spots appearing on the arms and thighs, swellings either in the groin or under the armpits (ones that grew to the size of a normal apple), headaches, nausea, aching joints, fever of 101-105 degrees, vomiting, and inflamed lymph nodes.
SIDE EFFECTS OF THE PNEUMONIC PLAGUE: The pneumonic plague was the second most common (even more deadly than the bubonic plague). The pneumonic plague attacked the lungs, causing sputum (saliva mixed with mucus) tinted with blood.
SIDE EFFECTS OF THE SEPTICEMIC PLAGUE: Some symptoms of this plague were a high fever and purple skin (usually at the tips of the fingers). This plague was the deadliest of them all.
CONSEQUENCES OF THE BLACK PLAGUE:
*Before the black plague, unemployment, outbreaks of animal disease, poor harvests, and population decline were common.
*As the plague struck Europe, people abandoned their property (which made most of the houses common property), children, and families. Some people even turned to magic and witchcraft for cures. Others ran after their desires, believing that they will soon die.
*People were free to do what they wanted, because the ministers and executors of the laws were either dead or sick.
*There was a crisis in the workforce as demand for goods fell steeply and prices and wages plummeted.
* Farms were abandoned
*Most people stayed in their homes and neighborhoods, hoping to remain safe (but they weren't).
*Animals were driven from their homes into the fields where they were left to roam the land.
*After the European Agricultural revolution, the population nearly doubled. When the plague hit, the population shrunk by half the size.
* Due to the black death, construction on several projects shut down and the economy plunged as the survivors asked for higher wages (which caused the rising of prices).
*However, after the death, the estates that were left were taken by the city council, and imposed a new tax in order to pay much higher salaries that the soldiers and government were demanding.
*There was an increase in poverty
*A wave of immigration attacked the areas because of the higher paying jobs; and employment was suddenly open for everyone.
*There was increased tension between haves and have nots. With this came a rise in crime and financial problems.
*Many people shifted from growing crops to raising sheep (in order to stop the rising of prices); and the average amount of land a peasant owned increased.
*There was a lack in servants, and the price of everything was cheap.
*The plague not only spread death and fear, but it spread social unrest as well.
First of all, the plague came in three forms -all equally deadly. It was either the bubonic, pneumonic, or the septicemic; and all were caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis. However (which was transmitted from person to person with the aid of Oriental rat flea and rats themselves) , the bubonic plague was the most common of the three forms. It is thought that the first flee came from Africa and traveled by boat on the back of a rat to different parts of this world. It is also believed that the plague started in Asia and moved west with Mongol armies and traders.
SIDE EFFECTS OF THE BUBONIC PLAGUE: Some symptoms of the plague were: black or livid spots appearing on the arms and thighs, swellings either in the groin or under the armpits (ones that grew to the size of a normal apple), headaches, nausea, aching joints, fever of 101-105 degrees, vomiting, and inflamed lymph nodes.
SIDE EFFECTS OF THE PNEUMONIC PLAGUE: The pneumonic plague was the second most common (even more deadly than the bubonic plague). The pneumonic plague attacked the lungs, causing sputum (saliva mixed with mucus) tinted with blood.
SIDE EFFECTS OF THE SEPTICEMIC PLAGUE: Some symptoms of this plague were a high fever and purple skin (usually at the tips of the fingers). This plague was the deadliest of them all.
CONSEQUENCES OF THE BLACK PLAGUE:
*Before the black plague, unemployment, outbreaks of animal disease, poor harvests, and population decline were common.
*As the plague struck Europe, people abandoned their property (which made most of the houses common property), children, and families. Some people even turned to magic and witchcraft for cures. Others ran after their desires, believing that they will soon die.
*People were free to do what they wanted, because the ministers and executors of the laws were either dead or sick.
*There was a crisis in the workforce as demand for goods fell steeply and prices and wages plummeted.
* Farms were abandoned
*Most people stayed in their homes and neighborhoods, hoping to remain safe (but they weren't).
*Animals were driven from their homes into the fields where they were left to roam the land.
*After the European Agricultural revolution, the population nearly doubled. When the plague hit, the population shrunk by half the size.
* Due to the black death, construction on several projects shut down and the economy plunged as the survivors asked for higher wages (which caused the rising of prices).
*However, after the death, the estates that were left were taken by the city council, and imposed a new tax in order to pay much higher salaries that the soldiers and government were demanding.
*There was an increase in poverty
*A wave of immigration attacked the areas because of the higher paying jobs; and employment was suddenly open for everyone.
*There was increased tension between haves and have nots. With this came a rise in crime and financial problems.
*Many people shifted from growing crops to raising sheep (in order to stop the rising of prices); and the average amount of land a peasant owned increased.
*There was a lack in servants, and the price of everything was cheap.
*The plague not only spread death and fear, but it spread social unrest as well.
