The Black Death was another name for the Black Plague. This epidemic struck with full force in 1348. It killed off hundreds of thousands of people, nearly half of Europe's population. The lower estimate is 25,000,000 people. The people killed were of all classes, sexes, and ages. Although most victims were peasants and lower class people, the rich who tried to flee were also infected. It is estimated that the Black Death killed more people than have all the wars ever fought.

By the 1300's Europeans faced great crop failures. Famine was the end result. Every European was prepared to face extreme hunger at least once in their lifetime, an average of 35 years. The most densely populated areas experienced the greatest hunger, such places were the industrial ones. These places in turn faced overpopul

Technology and education came to a sudden stop. People were no longer interested in going to school, learning, leisure activities, art, science, ect. Document 1, written by a schoolmaster, says how 20 boys died from the plague and drew others away. People avoided each other. Parents did not want to send their children to school or go to work. Some cities and town blocked off all the road networks and routes. People were not allowed to enter or exit different houses at times. Some people died within their own homes of starvation, as stated in document 5. People who died in their homes were buried there. The traditional and respectful burial ideas were abandoned since so many people died in mass bulk. Generally people were less humane. Some nurses would kill infected people so they can collect their pay. Buying and selling ceased to exist as well. People were afraid to buy products from others thinking they were infected.

Socially the Black Death changed Europe dramatically. Jews were used to scapegoat the plague, and were hated by different religions for years to come. Villages died off and the labor supply declined. The artisans suddenly soared on the social scale, many of which came to be from serfs. The prices of manufactured goods and luxury goods rose to new heights. Noble landholders suffered the greatest loss of power. To gain back power and wealth, the landholders converted the farmland into sheep pastures and trade increased. Generally, after the plague, people were encouraged to move to the city and industrialize. Another important result of the Black Death was the political weakening of the Church.

Bacteria

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Approximate Word count = 1120
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)