What was the Black Death?

The Black Death was a wide disease that resulted in a major population drop in Europe during the fourteenth century. It was a very contagious disease that made a huge impact in the deaths of 33-60 percent of Europe's population. The plague would start by a person receiving a lump that looks like a black ball made up of dead cells that make the skin turn black and if not treated right away, this would result in a very traumatic death. The transition into the black death plague resulted in the people thinking religion was being retaliated against them, the disruption among various classes, and along with the mortality of lives being lost, this is what made the Black Death one of the most historic times of the century.

Back in the Middle Ages, being Christian and going to church was huge part in European's lives. Christianity gave them peace at mind and understanding of their day to day life. This mentality then changed during 1347. When the deaths of many people were being affected by the plague, Europeans went to priests for answers to why God had been punishing his people and not saving them. This devastation resulted in many of Europeans to lose faith in Christianity and to its leadership in church. The church was their home of peace and tranquility from the outside world and this plague had taken its toll on the people, just as much as the church. The black death plague had made people look at the churches for a response to why this was happening and for hope that the faith of God would fix this. When more deaths were piling up they then looked towards Christianity as to blame for this happening. The Christian people couldn't even defend what was going on or have a reasoning behind it. This left Christian religion to be abandoned due to how many people lost faith. The Jews had always had a civil stance with the Europeans until a major movement happened when the Europeans fought towards the Jews in the idea that they were the ones to spread this plague. These actions made by the Europeans all came from the church losing its influence over their people.

Before the Black Death had started in Europe, labors were considered the lower class were hired by Lords which were high class to make harvest and whatever other needs they wanted. Labor workers were not at all treated well and nor was there pay any good. After the Black Death plague hit, workers had the upper hand over their masters because their master's depended on them entirely and the plague that was spreading and was soon infecting their workers. So this resulted in a rise for wages. As if farmers didn't already have it rough enough, they were used to diseases spreading and starvation through times in need. What really was interesting, was that this plague did have a positive outcome to the lower class with lower rent and taxes and the share of production was increased. This was the start of retrieval for the lower class in 1340. Those that knew how to harvest and do farm work were guaranteed jobs with the high demand of labor work. Economy was starting to recover with the high need of workers, and in the Italian Peninsula, they offered lots of benefits including free housing, tools, and land to farm. All that they would ask for was labor on their fields. Soon enough, this accord was brought down with the act of Statue of Laborers Act passed in England 1351. The upper-class Parliament set a law that lower class workers could not ask for a raise in wages and that the wages would be tried to be the same before the Black Death plague. Meaning that the lower class would be going back to their old ways of living in starvation with what little they were getting paid. Not many landowners followed this law in the regards to losing workers. The upper class reasoned with their employers in making it to where they would stay and not have their wages cut. This developed peace among the high and lower classes.

Mortality correlated with the Black Death was very crucial. The disease had first originated from Asia that was known for being populated with large rodents that carried bacillus disease. A lot of storms, hurricanes, and illnesses happened in Asia in the fourteenth century where it had scurried away the rodents to travel to different regions where it had soon reached people boarding ships that soon reached Europe where the start of the Black Death had arouse. Given that lives were being lost every second of everyday, marketing every age group was truly the hardest devastation. The plague had changed people to thinking of their own children as risk factor for dying. Many families were abandoning each other and even ending their lives before it had reached them. The little of people that did survive the plague never liked talking about it. It had gotten to the point where even talking about the spreading of the disease by pests were considered as a divine punishment. A study was done to see the age group of the mortality rate receiving the plague was increased with adult age and had a greater risk of being affected. In this era, there was no cure or medicine that could prevent or heal this sickness.

In conclusion, by the end of the Black Death Era survivors were realizing the nightmare was coming to an end. Many Europeans had lost more than what people could imagine. This was a time of faith in churches being destroyed, lives of families being taken, and the start of mortality being lost. The plague marked one of the most historic times in the history of Medieval Europe and still till this very day will be remembered.

Bibliography

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