Black Plague

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that the Black Plague was a most devastating epidemic, which occurred in Europe between 1347 and 1350 and wiped out a third to a half of Europe's population. The writer looks at three different ways in which the plague was spread. The writer points out that it affected up to 30,000 of the 70,000 population of London in just two years from the start of the spread. The writer also maintains that England's population of 5 to 6 million before the plague must have been reduced by 2 million deaths by the plague. Further, the writer discusses that the enormous population loss from the deaths had great social and economic consequences and looks at the economic effects caused by the Plague.

From the Paper:

"Even touching the clothing of any material or object they touched would transmit the disease. Those un-infected decided the take the only radical option of entirely avoiding the sick and everything they owned or had contact with. Others thought that living moderately and avoiding extravagance would protect them. They thus formed small communities separately from the infected ones or in isolation in houses where only the un-infected lived. They ate only the best foods and drank the best wines and lived in temperance. They refrained from news or discussion of death and sickness and spent their time in music and other pleasures. Others, however, thought that the only and sure cure for the plague was to enjoy, drink and to be merry. The feeling of damnation prevailed in them so they decided to live each in pleasure, visiting taverns, drinking immoderately and visiting other people's houses. Observation of human authority and divine laws ceased in them and duties were neglected. However, there were others who chose the middle way. They did not restrict their food and drink, did not get drunk or to please the senses. They did not isolate themselves from others, especially the sick but did their usual chores and businesses."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Aldington, Richard, trans. The Black Death, 1348. Volume 1. Eyewitness to History: lbis Communications, 2001. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com
• Courie, Leonard, ed. "The Black Death and Peasants' Revolt." Social and Economic Effects of the Plague. New York: Wayland Publishers, 1972. http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/dweb/plagu/effects/soc_econ_effects.shtml
• David. The Black Death in England 1348-1350. English History: Britain Express, 2000. http://www.britainexpress.com/History/medieval/black-death.htm
• Herlihy, David. "The Black Death and the Transformation of the West." Black Plague. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1997. http://www.nationmaster.com
• University of Calgary. "Economy." The End of Europe's Middle Ages. The Applied History Research Group, 1997. http://ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/endmiddle/economy.html

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