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Epidemics and pandemics in human history paper
Essay about the history of pandemics
Epidemics and pandemics in human history paper
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Eurocentrism, a political term coined in the eighties, is often used to denote the historiographical trend that highlights the plight of the westerner as well as pander to European exceptionalism. The 1340s strand of the bubonic plague, referred to as the Black Death, is frequently, and often solely, tied to the impact and toll it brought upon the population of Europe between 1347 and 1350. However, the plague did not originate in Europe, nor was it divine wrath or providence; it was a pathogen that swept the globe, becoming one of the most deadly catalysts in recorded history. The societies that emerged from the Black Death still intact were changed forever as many people responded with greater faith in gods and religion while others pushed …show more content…
The Italian Renaissance, a period stretching from the end of the 14th century and well into the 16th, marked the transition between medieval and early modern society. Characterised by the new vigour for art and culture, the Renaissance was a time of wealth and prosperity after a century of catastrophe. While dated to begin almost five decades after the major bubonic plague outbreak, the Renaissance can be tied to various socioeconomic factors influenced by the vast mortality rates in Europe, from which some populations had still not recovered. As discussed earlier, the Black Death can be tied to a decline in European feudalism, something that contributed to the growth of individual wealth, allowing a relatively more luxurious lifestyle and a subsequent increased interest in the purchasing of luxury goods. The high demand for decorative art and materialistic expressions of wealth after the poverty-stricken days of past centuries created an illustrious and booming market for goods like spices, gold and decorative art. The importance of this trend cannot be understated, as it resulted in the creation of an entire era of history and was perhaps one of the main motivators in the creation and success of a larger European trade
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.
The Black Plague came to Europe at a time referred to as the late middle ages. At this time, the quality of living was looking better than in the past
...a wealth. A new type of consumer, who preferred variety and luxury, began to appear in both the towns and the countryside. People who were unsure if they would be alive the next day wanted to spend their money on fine foods and luxuries. Many lords and wealthy merchants built churches and commissioned religious art, partly in thanks for being spared the horrors of the Black Death. Some of the artistic styles that developed in this period were very influential later during the Renaissance. Some historians suggest that people who invested in culture in hard times financed the Renaissance (Rice 67).
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.
The Black Plague, perhaps one of the worst epidemics in history, swept its evil across Europe in the middle of the 14th century, killing an estimated 20 million people. This major population shift, along with other disasters occurring at the time, such as famine and an already existing economic recession, plunged Europe into a dark period of complete turmoil. Anarchy, psychological breakdowns, and the dissipation of church power were some of the results. As time passed, however, society managed to find new ground and began its long path of recovery. The plague, as catastrophic as it was to medieval Europe, had just as many positive effects that came with this recovery as it did negative effects prior. An end to feudalism, increased wages and innovation, the idea of separation of church and state, and an attention to hygiene and medicine are only some of the positive things that came after the plague. It could also be argued that the plague had a significant impact on the start of the Renaissance.
While the Hundred Years’ War was raging in Western Europe, another crisis struck the peoples of Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The Black Death was a devastating plague that raged across three continents between 1347 and 1351. Millions of people perished during this plague which upended feudal society and dramatically altered the social and political structures of Western Europe. The Black Death was a terrible and nasty disease. Almost all of the population of Europe died from this plague and the Black Death stunned many people in many communities. The Black Death had a social, and economically, effect on Europe for many years. The Black Death affected all the social groups in Europe from the least of all peasants, to the highest of all Kings.
The Black Death plagues 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. Medieval society was tossed into disarray, economies were fractured, the face of culture and religion changed forever. However the plagues devastation was not all chaotic, there were benefits too, such as modern labour movements, improvements in medicine and a new outlook on life. Therefore in order to analyse the impact the Black Death had on societies in the 14th century, this essay will consider the social, economic, cultural and religious factors in order to reach an overall conclusion.
The Renaissance began in the late 14th century and reached its highest known point in the 15th and 16th centuries. This period followed the Middle Ages and made Europe see a revival of interest in classical learning along with values of ancient Greece and Rome. The Renaissance art sought to capture experiences of the individual rather than the many and also sought to capture the beauty of the regular world. It originated in Italy by Italian scholars and artists who wanted to reawaken the ideals of Roman culture. Some sought to reawaken the languages, values, and intellectual traditions of Rome. Unfortunately, during the time of the late 14th century, wars and the tragic Bubonic Plague kept people from making advances further into the Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance What a piece of work man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and movement, how express and admirable, in action, how like an angel, in apprehension, how like a god! The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! " Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2. Modern art critics regard renaissance art as graphic narratives of political and social events that occurred in the 14th through 16th century Europe.
The Renaissance in Italy was from the 1350s to 1600s, the word renaissance is a French word that means “rebirth”. Historians marked the beginning of the Renaissance in the era of the Black Death in Europe and some view it as a transitional period between the medieval age, known as “The Dark Ages”, and modern age. Central Italy was controlled by the Catholic Church and was divided into a number of small principalities called the Papal States. Florence was often called the birthplace of the Renaissance; it was over taken by Rome during the High Renaissance in the beginning of the 16th century. In the 15th century, Florence had a population of 60,000. Their economy was strong because of its wool and textile trade. “Florence was a place where writers,
Although it is gruesome, the Black Death was actually a big foundation for the Renaissance time frame. The Black Death was a plague that devastated Europe, and is estimated to have killed 1/3 of its population. This however gave the remaining people a larger wealth and an ability to rank higher socially. Because there was more wealth and a more open social structure, people wanted to show off what they had. They were willing to pay large sums of money to show the prestige that they had gained. This allowed for famous artists to be funded for larger
When studying the Renaissance, most turn towards Italy and its revival of classicalism in both art and culture. They think of the grandeur of the paintings and the innumerable sculptures that were commissioned throughout the city states. People also tend to think of banking, focusing around areas such as the Republic of Florence and its mighty Medici family who were the bankers for nobles and the Papacy alike. These powerful families controlled finances for nations and governments to wage war, build monuments, and maintain standards of living that would have been impossible otherwise. However, financial power shifted during the mid to late 15th century from that of northern Italy to the Low Countries due to the decline in industrial and
During the Renaissance, trade with the outside world dramatically increased. While the change in life was slow, it was dramatic.
During a time period from approximately 1375 to 1527, an event known as the Renaissance took place in Europe. This was the establishment of an entirely new way of life; there was a vast rebirth of knowledge and arts which changed Europe completely. Due to events such as the rediscovery of classical works, the Black Death, the invention of the printing press, and the development of humanism, the Renaissance greatly influenced Europe on many levels. Europe gained more wealth, which led to the progression of a new focus on art and learning. From a political perspective, the Renaissance created a division and a competitive nature between the European countries, along with the formation and expansion of the mercantile system.
The Renaissance, which began in Italy in 1300s, was one of the largest periods of growth and development in Western Europe. The increase in trade caused an abundance in wealth that resulted in the focusing of the arts. Such things as literature, paintings, sculptures and many more works are known to have blossomed from the period known as the Renaissance. The Renaissance was started by many rich Italian cities, such as Florence, Ferrara, Milan, and Venice (Bram 274). Because these cities were very wealthy, many merchants started to spend money on different things, such as painting, learning, new banking techniques, and new systems of government. These things gave rise to a new type of scholar, the humanist, and a new philosophy, humanism.