What Was The Black Death?

• Summarized Idea– The Black Death was a devastating pandemic of

sickness and disease that ravaged Europe during the Middle Ages.

– The Black Death was highly contagious, with gruesome effects, and killed around 75-200 million people (30%-60% of the world’s population).

Where Did It Come From? The Black Death originated somewhere in China or Central Asia.

It killed much of Asia’s population during the 1330s and 1340s.

Traveled along the Silk Road and major water routes used by ship traders.

By the time infected caravans and ships were identified as having the plague, it was too late, and European ports were exposed to the disease.

The Plague Arrives• The plague arrived in

Europe during the summer of 1348.

• People, food, textiles, and water supplies were exposed to the bacteria causing plague.

• As the weather got colder, the plague quickly spread.

• By 1350 all of Europe was infected.

What Caused The Black Death?• Fleas in Asia became

infected with a bacteria that caused the plague to grow within the body.

• These fleas would live on rats and infect the rats with the plague by biting the rats.

• The rats got into traveling caravans and ships and exposed people and goods to the bacteria and disease.

Yersinia pestis

Oriental Rat Flea

What Caused The Black Death?

• Usually The Black Death was transmitted from person-to-person through contact or breathing the same air.

• Humans could also get The Black Death from infected animals or fleas.

What did I do?

Symptoms of The Black Death

Consequences of The Black Death

Death Toll

Europe: 45-50% (as of 2007 research)

• Italy, France, Spain: 75-80%• England, Germany: 20%

Middle East: 30%

Egypt: 40%

Religious Persecution• Attacks were launched against

Jewish communities, blaming them for the plague.– Better hygiene– Community isolation

• Jews were accused of poisoning water wells and spreading the plague on purpose.

Consequences of The Black Death

Question of Faith• It was widely believed that The

Black Death was punishment from God for the sins of humanity. – Hatred towards others– Concern about your own sins

• People either became more faithful and feared God, or they refused to believe there was a God due to unanswered prayers.

Culture• Art & Literature

– Focused on death and loss– Depictions of walking dead

They died by the hundreds, both day and night, and all were thrown in ... ditches and covered with earth.. And as soon as those ditches were filled, more were dug. And I, Agnolo di Tura ... buried my five children with my own hands ... And so many died that all believed it was the end of the world.

—The Plague in Siena

Consequences of The Black Death

End of Feudalism• Due to the high death rate

the system of feudalism fell apart.

• People at all levels of the medieval social structure died, leaving the others to fend for themselves.

• After The Black Death, people were no longer sure of the “protection” feudalism was supposed to offer.