The Black Death report

Arthur & Brennan 3/7/2014 Disasters have taken on many forms. Natural, man-made, and epidemic diseases; such as the Black Death. Not since the sixth century had a disease so powerful, unstoppable, and destructive had struck Europe. The one we are talking about is the Black Death; a flu-like sickness that brought death with it no matter where it went. It infected people by injecting the bacillus, the disease cell. Once it get into your bloodstream, it starts to combine diseases and symptoms and eventually kills the victim. This demonic disease took on two forms; bubonic: which was affected physical form such as swelling, buboes, or lymph nodes. But the other, which as even more deadly was the pneumonic disease. It did the same damage but it was travelling by air which would be much easier to catch. And despite how grand this disease ended up being, it started with something that everybody honoured and loved. It started with an Italian trade boat. (Article one). Now, the first plague started in A.D 561, Africa and spread to the Mediterranean. But this was not nearly as overwhelming as the second one. After 200 years from the one in Africa, it mysteriously disappeared from Africa and the world enjoyed six hundred years-worth of a plague-free earth. But then, in 1346, the plague returned seeking more death, not satisfied from before. It struck Europe, targeting an Italian trade boat returning to Europe. The unwanted boat then was pushed inward to the land of Europe and it began to affect more and more people. And it spread easily too. The filthy streets and the unfit conditions for living made it easy for the plague to spread and people who tried to leave were unsuspectingly already infected and they only went around the country to spread the disease in even greater ways. People shut down their houses and closed off communication with the world. Economy began to lower and people didnt work or go outside the communities slowly started to die from the inside out as the people died one by one. Families abandoned one another, husband and wife, parents their children, sisters and brothers one another, and peoples hope and trust began to diminish as fast as the plagues spread itself. Cities suffered most due to their messy and dirty towns that was unfit for human living but fleas and rats preferred it more than anything else. By 1352, the Black Death had swept its scythe and executed 25 million people, between a third and half of Europe. (Article three).

The Black Death didnt only affect peasants and low class people too. People first believed that it was punishment from God and they asked the church for help but it wasnt as they thought. Even the archbishops; the very ones who had God on their side, died, three from Canterbury in one year. Piles of bodies were piled in pits, rivers and seas, only polluting the world with the pandemic even further. And in the year 1352, an astonishing 25 million had fallen to the cold hands of the Black Death. So many died that all believed it was the end of the world. (Article three). Some attempted to cure the disease but even the highest-class doctors could do little but strengthen resolve and build morale. Some recommended burning aromatic herbs and woods. Some suggested special diets and eating conscience, bleeding it out, sleeping suggestions and other treatments. It was a shame though, that none of the suggestion works. (Article one) Alas, no one would be able to cure this disease until the 19th century but its effect would last centuries to come. It changed Europe in millions of ways. The importance of the event was powerful in many ways. First, it had impacted feudalism and almost broke it down completely. The lack of serfs had disallowed feudalism to continue as serfs played an important role in the maintenance of feudalism. No one would farm anymore, the church broke down due to the peoples lack of confidence and trust in the church and bishops always died. Lords and Nobles could no longer control the serfs too as they were dying and the serfs didnt work anymore, refusing to help the lord. Fief (land) no longer was important and feudalism was broken into pieces. People also realized how sanitation was important to the worlds survival, how plumbing and hygiene is required for the world. It also impacted the world by making people losing faith in the church and the worlds view of trust and respect changed forever. People didnt follow feudalism anymore and human morals were no more, but rebuilt stronger afterwards. But the Black Death was an epidemic disease so powerful that no one would stand up to it. But now, we have a cure for it and few cases of plague have appeared in the modern day. But this plagues foreboding hands have once stopped us from evolution and advance for technology. It killed millions and struck fear of such a thing ever happening to this world again. It was a time that could have been used for advancement and technology but instead it was used to kill people. This impact on Europe made them research medicine, cures, and treatment in case this was to ever happen again. And although many disasters have happened throughout the history of earth such as natural ones, man-made, or diseases; there have been none as powerful and destructive as the Black Death.