Ther Black Plaque

Lindsay Ash
11-2-09
Eng-289-008
High School Textbook
Professor Domet
The Black Death
The Black Death was one of the deadliest pandemics in history. Within three years, from 1348 through 1351 it decimated half of Europe’s population, leading to religious, social, and economic upheaval. It would take 150 years for Europe’s population to recover. Having no defense against the pestilence or understanding of the cause of it, the people of Europe were devastated.
The Black Death likely began in Asia, and spread to Europe through trading routes. The disease was very contagious, and death occurred only a few days after symptoms began. The illness was bubonic plague, an organism carried by rodents and then transmitted by fleas to humans. Characteristics of the illness included swelling and infection of the lymph nodes, known as buboes. The blackish coloring of the skin due to the swellings is responsible for the name “The Black Death.” The virulence, the grotesque appearence of the victims, and the terrible pain, all served to make the disease especially terrifying.
Every part of the economy was disrupted by the plague. Financial business was disrupted since debtors died and could not pay their debts, often not only had just the debtor died, but the whole family, so there was no one to collect from. Construction projects stopped due to the shortage of skilled laborers. Farms and entire villages died out. Whole families died. Crops and animals died. The massive amount of death and devastation changed the way people viewed God. They wondered why he would allow such a massive loss of life to happen. Artistic style became macabre. Artists painted skeletons dancing with the living, and some sculpted half decomposing bodies.
The Black Plague devastated Europe in the fourteenth century. The virulence of the disease and the terrifying aftermath changed Europe for years to come.