Black Plague Research Paper

"By turning the world upside-down, the black death helped pave way for the new" (Giblin 44). There were many names for the Black Death including The Great Pestilence, The Great Plague, The Great Mortality, The Death, and The Black Plague. Genoan ships are thought to have brought the disease from Kaffa (Dunn 26). The bacteria first infected the black rats and transmitted the infection to humans by fleabites (Bagley 100). Once people are infected, they infect others very rapidly. Plague causes fever and a painful swelling of the lymph glands called buboes, which is how it gets its name (101). The symptoms of the plague were swelling in the groin of under the armpit, which grew to the size of a small apple or egg, also known as tumors. The tumors
spread and then turn into black or purple spots on the arms or thighs (Dunn 22). The well nourished had the best chance of survival but no one was immune. Society came to a stop and people only thought of survival. Victims were sent to special plague hospitals or buildings and sometimes banished. In most towns isolating the sick became an official policy in most towns. One out of every 3 people died from the plague (70). When the death toll reached 30 bodies a day, churches put an end to funeral services and bodies were sent straight to the graveyard for quick burials (40). Although the plague causes chaos, depression, fear, hunger, and most of all a fight for survival, many positives were given to society including the development of the middle class and the correction of over population. The worst part was over by 1352.
The first to die were the poor because of there close living quarters. Many poor Europeans that survived the plague became rich (Dunn 76). For the first time the working class enjoyed a higher standard of living. They enjoyed finer clothing such as furs, which were an amenity to only nobles and high-ranking clergymen before the plague (Giblin 42). They were also able to enjoy better food.
"The poor moved into empty houses, slept on beds, and ate off silver. Peasants acquired unclaimed tools and livestock, even a wine press, forge, or mill left without owners and other possessions they never had before" (Dunn 76).
Serfs found themselves in very good positions if they survived the plague (42).
They were able to run from the estates they had been bound to since birth. They were able to choose to live free or bargain for better pay because of the labor shortage. Some serfs went to other towns, such as London, in hope of learning a new trade and making a better life for themselves. Because of the opportunities given to the poor, the gap between the working men and higher clergymen began to close, therefore developing the middle class (Bagley 159).
Two hundred years before the plaque struck population increased rapidly and the problem of over population seemed inevitable (159). The supply of grain, meat, and wool did not keep up with the high demand. Labor became scare and extremely valuable. Farm owners began selling freedom to workers in exchange for labor. Although devastating, the plague helped correct over population. More than one-third of England's population died between 1348 and 1351. During the worst time of the plague 200 bodies were buried a day at Smithfield Cemetery
(157).
Society as a whole became more mobile as people were able to climb the social ladder with more ease (101). Land that had once been farmed was now given over to pasturing, which was much less labor-intensive. This helped boost the cloth and woolen industry. Peasants benefited from increased employment opportunities and higher wages. This allowed the social ladder to become less rigid because peasants were able to move to accept work where they could command a good wage (96). The Church also went through a major change. About forty percent of England's priests died from the plague (O'Neill 74). The people had no one to look to for religious advice and no one to lead them. These priests were replaced by under qualified and poorly trained applicants.
Many people believed that the plague was sent from God as a punishment (Bagley 161).
Jews were blamed for spreading the plague and many were savagely persecuted (O'Neill 75).
The survivors of the plague became distraught by the church's inability to explain the plague and why it occurred. This accelerated the decline of the power of the church and set the stage for the Reformation.
The plague also fueled advances in medicine. During the Black Death people and physicians thought it was caused by an unfavorable alignment of planets (75). Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch were the first to discover that rats played a key role in transmitting the disease (Giblin 50). Pasteur discovered that harmful bacteria could produce disease (50). Koch discovered the specific bacteria that caused anthrax and tuberculosis (50). The use of streptomycin reduced the death rate by 5% in 1940s.
Claudius Galen's theories of arteries carrying blood instead of air and illness was caused by an imbalance in the body pushed the practice of medicine. Many students took anatomy and surgery classes of University of Paris (Giblin 44). They dissected bodies and for the first time medical textbooks were printed in English, French, and Italian rather than Latin (44). This allowed medical research and information to be available to the average
person.
The plague aided in correcting some of the problems in society. The development of the middle class made the social ladder less rigid. Peasants were presented with opportunities to make better lives for themselves. Since the plague killed so many people there was a huge labor shortage making their services in high demand. Before the plague over population was beginning to put a strain on society. The supply of grain, meat, and wool did not keep up with the high demand. Through devastation the plague helped correct this growing issue. The church experienced change. The priests that died from the plague were replaced by under qualified priests. The people wanted answers about why the plague struck but the church could not answer them; they began losing faith. The church's decline in power led to the Reformation. The devastation of the plague pushed for advances in medicine. Students began taking anatomy and medical classes. Books were also printed in languages other than Latin, which made them accessible to the average person.