“The Black Death was the first catastrophic outbreak from the 14th to the 18th century” (Hallen, 254). The Black Death was such a catastrophic outbreak because the black death claimed over 75 million lives. A person could not even go near the sick or touch their clothes because if they did they would catch the plague (The Black death, 1348).
The Black Death first arrived in Europe by sea and the sailors aboard were mostly dead by the time they reached the dock (Black Death). When the black death arrived in October 1347 there were 12 Genoese trading ships docked at the sicilian port of Messina after a long journey through the Black Sea (Black Death). When the Genoese trading ships docked within three year it had spread throughout the continent (Hallon, 254). Even before the “death ships” pulled into port at Messina, many Europeans had heard rumors about a “Great Pestilence” that was carving a deadly path across trade routes of the near and far East (Black Death). The sailors that had died or were near dying were covered with black boils that oozed blood and pus (Black Death). …show more content…
Including many thought the nursery rhyme “Ring around the Rosey” was written about the symptoms of the black death (Hallon, 254). Some other people thought you could get the disease by over eating or sex with older women (Hallon, 254). Some people thought carrying flowers or scented herbs or perfumes in their hands, in belief that it was an excellent thing to comfort the brain with such odors (Hallon, 254). Although many people thought those thoughts most people believed it was God punishing them for sins such as greed and hersery (Black Death). Today scientists understand that the Black Death is spread by a bacillus called yersinia pestis (Black