Medieval Viruses And Diseases

The Black Death, also known as the bubonic plague, was a disease that devastated Medieval Europe, between 1346 and 1352 it killed 45 million people, wiping out a third of Europe's population. Today, we know that there were many causes of the Black Death. Medieval towns had no system of drains, sewers or trash collections. In such slovenly conditions, germs could grow, and diseased rats could call these medieval towns their homes and infect the people who lived there. Many historians believed the plague originated in china and spread to other countries by trade routes. Infected people and/or infected rodents such as mice or black rats. The Black Death was caused by strains of the bubonic plague. The plague lived in fleas, and fleas lived on

All throughout history nations all over the world have dealt with deadly diseases, but one in particular brought out the fear in the nations of Europe, the bubonic plague or as others call it, the black death. During the thirteenth century, medicine was not as developed as it is now, causing England to suffer more than others. According to Cantor (2002) the European nations encountered the bubonic plague in its most brutal state during 1348 to 1349, taking out about a third of Europe’s population (pp. 6-7). He continues on by claiming that one big question to this event was whether or not the plague was the full cause to the loss of lives or if there was another cause along with it (p. 11). Cantor (2002) also explained that the reason the black plague stopped in Europe around the eighteenth century could possibly have been from an introduction to a new species of rats, the gray rat (p. 13). Even though there is controversy based around the plague being spread by rats and how it was stopped by isolation, it may have taught countries useful strategies and ways to grow stronger.

The Black Death of the mid-fourteenth century will have the greatest impact on the 16th and 17th centuries. The plague caused the European population the drop by 25 to 50 percent, induced movements and many revolts, and prompted changes in urban life. The European population dropped by 25 to 50 percent between 1347 and 1351. So, if the European population was 75 million, this would mean the 18.75 to 37.5 million people died in four years. There were also major outbreaks that lasted many years until the end of the 15th century. Mortality figures were incredibly high. As a result, the European population did not begin to recover until the 16th century. It took many generations after that to achieve thirteenth-century levels. The plague induced movements and many revolts in Europe.

The Black Death of the mid-fourteenth century will have the greatest impact on the 16th and 17th centuries. The plague caused the European population the drop by 25 to 50 percent, induced movements and many revolts, and prompted changes in urban life. The European population dropped by 25 to 50 percent between 1347 and 1351. So, if the European population was 75 million, this would mean the 18.75 to 37.5 million people died in four years. There were also major outbreaks that lasted many years until the end of the 15th century. Mortality figures were incredibly high. As a result, the European population did not begin to recover until the 16th century. It took many generations after that to achieve thirteenth-century levels. The plague induced

When it comes to the Middle Ages all people think about are knights, kings, queens, and castles. But something happened during that period of time that changed Europe completely. The Bubonic Plague, also known as the Black Plague or the Black Death, was one of the most deadly outbreaks in Europe. In total it killed about 75-200 million people in Europe and some parts of Asia. The plague spread quickly and if you got it, there was no cure. The Black Plague affected Europe with trade from the East, because of all the deaths it brought, because it caused political chaos, because it caused the people to question their faith, and because it led up to the regrowth of Europe.

Some people may not realize that the plague to abolish about one third of Europe's population, is still infecting humans. In the 2000s, over 20,000 people became infected by the bubonic plague, but now because of the medical advancements since the medieval times, it doesn't take as many lives. During the 13th through 14th century, when the pandemic had reached its all time high, it had came through fleas biting humans and many had to suffer through the agonizing symptoms. Then it had finally simmered down, but there were long lasting effects from the plague.

In the Middle Ages, nothing caused more chaos than the Black Plague. It was a large disease that spread all across Western Europe causing one-third of the population to disappear. As the Black Plague spread further and further, more problems erupted. People did not know how to react to the plague so they killed their neighbors. Cities were forced to raise taxes to pay for the expenses of the plague, but nothing could solve the large amount of debt that was due. The Black Plague led to the decline of feudalism because the problems it caused, led to more issues.

This essay will focus on the key elements that contributed to the spread of the bubonic plague in medieval Europe. Then, with reference to primary and secondary evidence, justify your opinion about whether Australia could experience a similar outbreak in the 21st century. The thesis for this essay is that Key elements contributed to the spread of the bubonic plague in medieval Europe. The three inquiry questions that will be answered are what were the key elements that contributed to the spread of the black plague in medieval Europe, how did the movements of people impact on the spread of the disease, what evidence there is about whether Australia could experience a similar outbreak in the 21st century.

The Medieval Europeans Strong Christian Theological View of the Black Death The Black Death was a plague that ravished most of the western world in the Fourteenth century, killing an estimated 30-50 present of the population in Europe (Park). The medieval people of Europe during the Fourteenth century were integrating natural philosophy with Christian theology, which they had been doing for several decades (Lindberg). This integration of natural philosophy into Christian theology showed in how they understood the Black Death. Europeans saw the Black Death as being created by God, thus explaining it with Christian theology.

“Ring around the rosy, a pocketful of posies, ashes … ashes, we all fall down.” A familiar nursery rhyme that children have recited as a harmless play song for generations. Ironically, it refers to one of Europe 's most devastating diseases. The first recorded case of the plague was in China in 224 B.C.E. But the most significant outbreak was in Europe in the mid-fourteenth century. Over a five-year period from 1347 to 1352. The Black Death had a great impact of change during the late Middle Ages. It changed the way people lived and it affected their lives socially, economically and politically. What caused the Black Death, the plague that may have killed as many as half of all Europeans in the 14th century? Bacteria was carried by fleas that lived on black rats. The rodents spread the plague from China to Europe. The scientific name for it is, Yersinia Pestis. Humans are normally singled out by fleas when there are no rodents left. When a flea bites a rodent, the blood from the rodent goes directly to the flea 's stomach, easing hunger.

History, essentially is a chain of reactions. One event leads to multiple other events, which lead to an abundance of other events. Though most of these events are caused by humans and the choices we make, some occur naturally, such as the Black Plague. The Black Plague was an epidemic that broke out in 13th century Europe and started in China. The Black Plague is one of the most well known epidemics in history. It has many names; the Bubonic Plague, the Black death, the Blue Sickness, the Great Mortality and the Pestilence. The most famous of its outbreaks was in medieval Europe. 30-50% (25 million people) of the European population had perished (Plague, Plague Information, Black Death Facts, News, Photos -- National Geographic). The plague was caused by a bacteria called Yersinia Pestis which is carried by fleas that lived on black rats. These rodents spread the disease to Europe.

Finally, the black plague affected medicine and health in a good way. The plague was the beginning of the movement from medieval practices to modern medicine techniques. This pandemic was an eye opener to many. According to Digital Commons website, “The Black Death represents an event that helped shape medieval medicine's course of development, and as such, helped shape the development of future medical practices” (Vanneste). The problem with medieval medicine techniques was that they focused on ways to prevent disease, and there were not many medical techniques for actually treating an illness. Only having the techniques for preventing illness did not go good in the case of the black plague. With millions of people dying people started looking

These diseases started from unhealthy living. Medieval towns were filthy and ran down. There were no water resources. The only bathroom resource was prives and chamber pots that were entered in streams and canals. Garbage was tossed into the streets and streams. Hygiene was poor people only bathed once a week and people lived in small places with other people. The worst thing was the fleas and rats that carried a lot of diseases and gave it to the people. These gruesome things lead to leprosy, scarlet, measles, cholera, and worst of all the bubonic plague.

“Nothing is so catching as the plague; now fanaticism, no matter of what nature, is only the plague of the human mind.” Hell on earth. Believed by many, a disease originated in the plains of central Asia and traveled significantly at the beginning of the year 1346. The disease rapidly spread throughout cities for centuries. Mostly found in rodents and their fleas, the disease was in fact a bacterial infection. This disease which resulted in a plague outbreak was known as the black death. There were three different forms of the black death being, the pneumonic form, the septicemic form, and the bubonic form.

Leprosy was one of the greatest concerns during the middle ages. Many people feared catching this disease, and those who had this disease were usually cast out. These