The Black Death

The Black Death of the 14th Century The Black Death began in 1348 creating one of the most horrifying pandemics to ever happen in human history. After devastating millions of people, the Black Death finally came to an end in 1350. It is believed that it originated in Central Asia, and then spread throughout the Mediterranean and Europe area. Symptoms of the bubonic plague spread quickly across Europe killing almost one-third of its population, causing a dramatic change in the peasant's religious, social, and economic life. What is the Black Death?

In both cases, victims very rarely lasted more than three to four days between basic infection and death, a time of intense fever and vomiting when which their lymph nodes swelled uncontrollably and eventually burst. The black death was one of the most unforgiving pandemics in human history, resulting in the fatalities of an estimated 75 to 200 million people and climaxing in Europe in 1348-50. People’s lack of knowledge for the way it spread was a major role for the black death to wipe out half of the population of Europe. Trade ships carrying rats, fleas and other animal’s infected with the bubonic plague came from Central Asia along the silk road. The ships eventually reached Europe and their deadly cargo started spreading excessively throughout the continent, affecting miniscule numbers at first but very soon reaching up into the hundreds of thousands and eventually millions.

In the years 1331 to 1350 all of Europe broke out in an epidemic, called the Black Death. This terrible sickness murdered about one third of all the people in Europe, it spread, and killed quickly. People’s lives were changed drastically; they were scared to go outside in fear of catching the gross disease. The Black Death spread rapidly through Europe having significant impacts on society. The Black Death started in China in 1331; it was then carried across the Asian caravan to southern Russia on merchant ships.

14th Century Outbreak of the Black Plague In 1300, multiple out breaks of the Black Plague arised. For example, in the thirteenth century an outbreak in China killed one third of the population. Several dates before this time showed the disease was present years ago in Europe. Dying from the Plague was scary to most people and Jordan Mcmullin, an author stresses, “Whenever the Plague appeared the sadness of death was terrifying” (Mcmullin n.pag.). Death has always been frightening, but when a country plagues with disease, death becomes a terrible fear, the Plague scared the people of 541, and 542, when their outbreak of the Plague spread.

"The Black Death of 1348 to 1350." History Learning Site. Web. 18 Oct. 2013.

15 Jan. 2014. Knox, Skip E.L. "The Middle Ages." The Black Death. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

“Ring around the rosy pocket full of posy.” Most people think of this as just a childhood rhyme. In reality it is a rhyme about the Black Death. The Black Death was a horrendous and infectious disease that killed millions of people in the 1300’s. This plague effect the people n Europe in such a way that people believed god and even nursery rhymes punished them were made up about it. It is probably one of the worst catastrophes that have happened in the history of medicine.

1320: Section 6: The Black Death. N.p., 2013. Web. 06 Apr. 2014.

The deadly rapidly progressing disease known as the Great Plague of Europe or what is often referred to as the Black Death that swept through the European population between 1347 and 1353 initially began in China. Throughout human discourse, all three forms of the infectious disease have played a devastating role in the epidemics that resulted in high death rates in 14th century Europe. The Black Death of Europe that occurred was the second of the three great waves to hit throughout history. The first plague broke out in the 6th century during the reign of the Byzantine under the Emperor Justinian, reaching his capital in Constantinople. The third great wave of the plague began in China’s Yunnan province in 1894, emerging in Hong Kong and then spread via shipping routes throughout the world.

The Pneumonic disease was spread through airborne droplets coughed or sneezed from the lungs (Plague: The Black Death). Another third form the Black Death showed itself was through Septicemic plague. This epidemic was spread through contact with the plague-infected body matter and threatened mainly the blood system (The Black Death, 1348). The causes of the Black Death were not determined until the outbreak of 1885 which started in China. The first leap forward came in Hong Kong in 1894 when scientists “isolated the rod-shaped bacillus responsible –Yersinia pestis” (P... ... middle of paper ... ... the early 1700s due to improved medical knowledge; the age of enlightenment.