How Did The Black Plague Affect European Society

Social effects by the Black Plague in Europe The black plague was responsible for the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people. Peaking during the 14th century, no pandemic in the world had affected Europe so profoundly up until this point. The black plague changed European social structure in that it wiped out a third of Europe’s population, brought about a decline of feudalism, and crippled the Catholic Church. This plague will become a portent of change in European politics through its devastation and overwhelming influence. In autumn of 1347, a handful of Genoese ships had pulled into the port at Messina, Sicily. The crew members were very debilitated and sickly and not long after their arrival the harbor master quickly
Flee ridden rats that filled the streets transmitted the plague to its victims. The plague spread quickly across Europe through trade routes. According to the Center of Disease Control symptoms included swelling of the lymph nodes, severe headaches, chills, and almost always death. The victims skin tissue would often die and as a result turn black, hence the name “Black Death.” All of the different classes in the social ladder were affected by but the lower class had started to see a growing
In Marc Bloch’s Feudal Society Feudalism is described as a system in which the Crown gave land to nobility in return for their military support. Peasants were obligated to live on these lands and serve their lords in return for food, shelter, and military protection (Bloch XIV). Peasants were paid very little and sometimes not at all for their work. This system was very corrupt in nature and all power was held by the nobility. The massive body count among the lower class led to a shortage of peasant farmhands. This gave the lower class a high bargaining power and struggle for landowners to preserve their