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History IA

To what extent did the Black Plague of the fourteenth century alter Europes economy and socialstructures?

Katherine Leaver

6/1/2013


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1Katherine Leaver

Table of ContentsPlan of Investigation ................................................................................................................................... 2

Summary of Evidence ................................................................................................................................. 3

Evaluation of Sources ................................................................................................................................. 5

Analysis ........................................................................................................................................................ 6

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 7

List of Sources ............................................................................................................................................. 8

Appendix ..................................................................................................................................................... 9


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A.Plan of InvestigationThis study will focus on the structure of European economies and the resulting economicclasses before, during, and immediately after the plague of the fourteenth century. The

paper will also discuss how the plague set Europe onto a course of economic prosperity

for many years.

I carried out my investigation as follows:

Researching on the internet Researching books in the library (both public and school)

First I will discuss the information I have gathered, in paragraph format to continue the

flow of information. This will be followed by an evaluation of my two biggest sources for

their benefits as well as the limitations of the work. Then I will analyze the informationand come to a conclusion on how much the plague of the fourteenth century really did

affect Europes economy and resulting social structures.

(Word Count 138)


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B.Summary of EvidenceThere is very little evidence of a business Renaissance during this time. Businesses showed

no want to imitate previous business models, and many ideas of capitalism came to light during

this time (Knox, No Economic Renaissance). The biggest shift in economic ventures during this

time was sailing for-profit. Countries who became seafaring had a vast economic system toabsorb the risks and rewards of sailing (Knox, Exploration). More obligations of the peasants andserfs were being converted to economic obligations (Knox, The Structure of Medieval Farming).

Serfdom was in full swing at this time. Eastern Europe had been heavily colonized for

two centuries by settlers from the West. Europe was also facing overpopulation issues at this

time, making what farmland there was overworked. These colonies were characterized by

freeholds, for offering freedom was a primary tool used to attract settlers. Lords started to takedeliberate steps to tie the peasant to the land. East Europe began to specialize in monoculture

(Knox, Oil and Butter). Peasants contributed to the economy by selling as well. Wealthier

peasants could sell their grain or seed for money to pay rent and buy other items such as cloth.

Peasants also purchased things, such as tools, utensils, and maybe shoes (Knox, Buyers andSellers). The stereotypes of the time were mostly correct, viewed in the images Tres Riches

Heures(Knox, Stereotypes) (Appendix 1-12).

During the plague, the sheer amounts of death created a severe labor shortage. Land that

had been overworked was now free for the survivors. The peasants and working class were nolonger plentiful, so what workers remained could ask for higher wages. The Lords had to choose

between higher wages or rotting crops and idle machines. To cover the costs, Lords began

renting out land. More serfs were becoming tenant farmers, effectively ending serfdom. In the

cities, the population recovered more quickly. After plague outbreaks, there would be migrationsto cities. The income gap increased, with the elite closing ranks and protecting their holdings and

positions (Applied History Research Group, Black Death).

In England, peasants tried to take advantage of the favorable new conditions for workers

after the plague, but landlords refused to lower rents or raise wages. In 1381, various groups of

peasants joined together to protest taxes and to argue for more equal treatment. King Richard IImet with the rebels and agreed to their demands. However, he went back on his promise, and

many of the peasants were executed, this rebellion is Tyler's Rebellion. King Richard was unable

to prevent the changes started by the plague from continuing, and serfdom ended in England in

the 15th century. While Western Europe was experiencing a shift away from serfdom, the Eastwas seeing an increase caused by the plague that led to a shortage in labor making powerful

nobles use political and police power to tie them to the land. Hereditary subjugation came about

in Prussia in 1653 which tied the peasants and all their future generations to the lord and his land(Applied History Research Group, Black Death).

The plague destroyed people, not possessions. Because of this, the remaining populationexperienced an increase in demand for luxury goods. Lords and wealthy merchants built

churches and commissioned religious art, 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 duringthe Renaissance (Applied History Research Group, Black Death).


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Word Count: 571 (709 Total)


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C. Evaluation of Sources

My first source is the online classroom of Dr. E.L. Skip Knox. Dr. Knox received his M.A. in

medieval history from the University of Utah, and his Ph.D. in early modern social and economic

history from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1984. Dr. Knoxs purpose in creatingthis website is for his online course in medieval history, as well as an up- to- date database

online, free to any student or teacher whom may need the information. Dr. Knox is consistently

unbiased, and in his Ground Rules page, he even says I am well aware of my shortcomings asa professional historian, and am equally well aware of the influence the Net has on students. He

acknowledges the fact that he isnt the best historian.

This database is valuable, as many of my topics are covered within the database, mostprominently Europes economy and social structure before the Black Plague. This is also

valuable, as it is an online college course, making it valuable not only here, but credible in

college as well. The website has very few limits, the most prominent being that Dr. Knox isnt a

professional historian.

My second source will be most prominently used in the analysis section. The Decameron is a

fictional collection of 100 novellas by Giovanni Boccaccia. The Decameron was begun working

on in 1350, and was completed in 1353. The introduction is the section of focus, highlighting the

physical, psychological, and social effects the Black Plague had on the Italian region. TheDecameron is a valuable source, as it is one of a few first- person accounts of the Black Plague.

Boccaccia was a founder of the Renaissance. Boccaccia was born around Florence, Italy, where

he attended school. Boccaccia was a very famous author, writing several books. When he was

fourteen, he was sent to Naples to study business and Law. Novels can provide interestingprespectives into the lives of people in the time period, as well as giving emotional power to

events. Novels can also deliver heady topics in an easier format to think about. There are severallimitations when it comes to novels, including bias. Novels are not concerned with providingfacts, and are often embellished to fit the novel. Novels are undoubtedly influenced by the

authors feelings as well.

Word Count: 382 (1,091)


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D.AnalysisWithout the Black Plague, the serfdom would have continued for a long time, until a

different catastrophe. The origins of the plague are unknown, but it is likely the plague started

somewhere in Asia, most likely arriving on the Silk Road from rats carrying the disease from

drought stricken Africa. As the plagues deadly presence being felt, Europes economy andsocial structure was collapsing. In misery and affliction of our City, the venerable authority ofthe Lawes, as well divine as humane, was even destroyed, as it were, through want of the lawfull

Ministers of them. For they being all dead, or lying sicke with the rest, or else lived so solitary,

in such great necessity of servants and attendants, as they could not execute any office, wherebyit was lawfull for every one to do as he listed. (Boccaccia, 15). Boccaccia wrote in his

Decameron. Boccaccia was speaking of the failure of landlords to keep their peasants tied to the

land, allowing peasants to take what land they want, as well as leave countries if they so desired.

Financial business was disrupted as debtors died and their creditors found themselves withoutrecourse. Not only had the debtor died, his whole family had died with him. The labor shortage

was very severe, especially in the short term, and consequently, wages rose. Because of themortality, there was an oversupply of goods, and so prices dropped. Between the two trends, the

standard of living rose for those still living. There were many new incentives to leave the

countryside and move to the cities. Cities tended to recover faster, with jobs and a new supply ofpeople migrating to the cities. Landlords in the country couldnt afford to keep pay low, or else

the peasants would leave that landlords property, where a competing landlord would take the

peasant and pay them the wages. This lead to rotting crops on lands where landlords wouldntincrease wages.

The plague didnt directly cause the social changes; rather, the social changes came aboutdue to the collapse of serfdoms. Serfs were becoming wage earners and contributed more to the

emerging capitalistic economies. Serfdom collapsed in Western Europe, even though severalyears later, the ruling class tried to reinstall the serfdom. But, the people had had freedom for toolong. Eastern Europe experienced a Second Serfdom around the fifteenth century.

Word Count: 393(1,484)


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E. ConclusionI can now answer the question; To what extent did the Black Plague of the fourteenth

century alter Europes economy and social structures. The black plague was a catalyst in the fall

of serfdoms. The plague did not directly impact social structures; rather the social structures

came about due to the economic changes. The plague created a new era of economic prosperity,to help aid in the expansion of the Renaissance, thus bringing about contemporary ideas andideals.

If the plague would have never occurred, the collapse of serfdoms in Western Europe would

have taken a longer time, but nevertheless, would have still occurred. Social reforms would have

occurred as well, but again, at a slower rate. Therefore, I conclude the Black Plague of the

fourteenth century was merely a catalyst in the already occurring economic and social changesoccurring in Europe at the time.

Word Count: 145 (1,629)


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List of Sources

Applied History Research Group. "End of Europe's Middle Ages - Economy."End of Europe's

Middle Ages - Economy. University of Calgary, 1997. Web. 03 Mar. 2013.

Boccaccia, Giovanni. "The Introduction of the Author to the Following Discourses." TheDecameron. 12-28. Print.

"The Decameron." The Decameron. Princeton. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.

"Giovanni Boccaccio."Famous Authors. Web. 28 Feb. 2013.Italian Studies Department. "Decameron Web."Brown University. Brown University, 12 Mar.

2010. Web. 03 Mar. 2013.

Knox, E.L. Skip. "Demographic Crises."European Society in the Late Middle Ages. Boise State

University. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.Knox, E.L. Skip. "Demographic Crises."European Society in the Late Middle Ages. Boise State

University. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.

Knox, E.L. Skip. "Demographic Crises."European Society in the Late Middle Ages. Boise State

University. Web. 03 Mar. 2013.Knox, E.L. Skip. "Economic Effects."European Society in the Late Middle Ages. Boise State

University. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.Knox, E.L. Skip. "Economic History."Economy of Europe in the Late Middle Ages. Boise State

University. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.

Knox, E.L. Skip. "Economic History."Economy of Europe in the Late Middle Ages. Boise State

University. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.Knox, E.L. Skip. "Economic History."Introduction to the Late Middle Ages. Brown University.

Web. 02 Mar. 2013.

Knox, E.L. Skip. "Europe in the Late Middle Ages."Europe in the Late Middle Ages. Boise StateUniversity. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.

Knox, E.L. Skip. "Medieval Social Order." Social Status in the Late Middle Ages. Boise StateUniversity. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.

Knox, E.L. Skip. "Social and Economic Effects."Europe in the Late Middle Ages. Boise StateUniversity. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.

Knox, E.L. Skip. "Social History."European Society in the Late Middle Ages. Boise State

University. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.Knox, E.L. Skip. "Society and Population."European Society in the Late Middle Ages. Boise

State University. Web. 02 Mar. 2013.

"The Late Middle Ages." The Late Middle Ages. Web. 03 Mar. 2013."LIMBOURG Brothers (Herman, Jean, Paul)." Web Gallery of Art, Image Collection, Virtual

Museum, Searchable Database of European Fine Arts (1000-1900). Web. 03 May 2013.


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Appendix


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