The Bubonic Plague: The Black Death

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The Bubonic Plague, was a natural form of population control. Before the plague, life in Europe was getting worse by the day. Europe was severely overpopulated and in a great economic depression. Most of the land that could be farmed on had been abused. This made it difficult to grow food. Overpopulation is the condition of having a population so dense as to cause environmental deterioration, and an impaired quality of life. There was a great rift between the social classes. The poor were treated very badly before the plague. The rich always managed to have enough food, while the poor didn't. After the plague, things changed. The rich and the poor were both dying of this terrible disease. The social classes that survived the plague, rich and poor, had to come together and find new ways to survive. This left all social and economic aspects of life in the 13th and 14th century in Europe at a stand still killing 25% of Europe's population. The dwindling population stopped invading armies of the time. For example, in 1346 a Tarter Army had been attacking the Genovese Cathedral City and trading ports of Caffa on the black sea for a year. The deadly plague hit the invaders and was killing off soldiers at an unstoppable rate. The only problem was that the invaders were catapulting the dead bodies over the walls of the defenders' towns, causing the spread of the plague to infect them. During all this confusion the church's leadership in the lives of the people weakened. Before the arrival of the Black Death, the church was seen as one of the wealthiest and most powerful landlords in all of Europe. The people felt that the church was abandoning them at this time, but the priests were dying too. When the plague declined, many towns were left without a priest. Those priests who had not fled but ministered to the dying during the plague were constantly exposed to the disease and many died. Consequently, new priests were often ordered without adequate training, and &nbs... ... middle of paper ... ...famine amongst all the social classes, especially the poor people. Some people may have even resorted to cannibalism. Before the plague, drinking water was contaminated. Human wastes were put into the rivers, which was eventually drank by the people. Other diseases would have occurred if the plague did not exist. Such water born diseases as Cholera, and Typhoid would have broke out. War would have increased, because more people would have been fighting for food and other necessities. More people would have died during war. The rift between the poor and rich people would have increased. The poor people always would end up on the bottom. If the plague did not occur, the church would have continued to control the people's lives, and continue to be obsessed with money. The church controlled part of the people's every day lives and decision making process. I'm sure that the church became a better place, and it's teachings changed for the better. Everyone was now interested in the actual teachings of the church and of God. They were interested in God's teachings so that they would find

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