The Black Death Study Guide

What percent of Europe's population is estimated to have died?

30%-60% of the population of Europe (25-75 million people dead)

What was the black death?

A bacterial decease / plague that originated in China, spread to Constantinople, and then to Europe. It killed 60% of Europe's population. It lasted from 1348-1351. People were getting sick because of the bubonic bacteria, mostly found on fleas, which like to live on black rats.

Name the three types of plague:

Bubonic Plague Pneumonic Plague Septicemic Plague

The plague struck WHERE in the early 1330s?

China

Short Term Effects

Cities hit harder due to population and sanitation problems Businesses failed because of rampant death Shortages since few could work Fear Crops went unharvested → led to famine and starvation Animals died Depression was common Lack of art and music Placing blame on the innocent Massive death counts throughout Europe

flagellanti

Europeans conducted self inflicted penance, (self punishment) to prevent them from getting the plague

Sanitation practices

Europeans tried to be more sanitary, however, their efforts were not very effective

The bacteria that caused the plague first infected rodents, but WHAT caused the disease to spread to humans.

Fleas

How did the disease expand beyond China?

Italian soldiers escaped the land and went to Europe.

Which plague is the only one that spreads from human to human?

Pneumonic Plague

bloodletting

Sick people were cut and drained of "bad blood" to cure sickness

leeching

Similar to bloodletting, believed to help take "bad blood" out of patients

Long Term Effects

Smaller population Job opportunities led to easier upward mobility Farmers were able to ask for higher wages Medieval people lost faith in Catholic Church New discoveries made in science and medicine Acted as a jumpstart for the Renaissance Europeans developed an obsession with death. This obsession is evident in the art work from the time.

witch hunts

Suspicious individuals were accused and executed for being witches

Why do you think the Black Death inspired so much fear?

The Black Death inspired so much fear because it spread so fast that people were scared that it would get to them.

What was the role of the Church during the Black Death?

The church was hit hard by the disease Nuns, Friars, and priests got the plague because they were helping the sick. The pope quit because he was afraid of catching the plague. The people saw the plague as "God's will and punishment"

How was this disease used as a form of early biological warfare?

Took soldiers bodies that had already died from the plague and catapulted them over the walls.

pogroms

Violent attacks on Jewish people and communities, Jews became the scapegoat for Europe's problems

The bubonic plague causes the WHAT to swell, that first appear red, then black.

lymph glands

Was there more of a positive or negative effect?

negative - culture / social