Figure 1 from medievaleurope.org Jaylin Hamilton English IV

Fig 2. frm medievaleurope.org The Black Death -Started by rat fleas and the cross with humans. -Is one of the devastating diseases of all time -Took a major toll on Europe and the civilization.

The death bringer the Rat Flea -Its said that rats with fleas on them traveld to Europe on a boat. The fleas sucked the blood of the rats and caught the disease called yersinia pestis. The fleas the jumped from the rats to humans and while sucking the blood the disease was transmitted. Fig 3 frm insecta.com

The Transmission

Forms of the Black Death - The Black Death came in three forms, the bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic. Each different form of plague killed people in a vicious way. Fig 5. frm medievaleurope.org

Bubonic Plague - The most commonly seen form of the Black Death. - - The symptoms were enlarged and inflamed lymph nodes (around arm pits, neck and groin). - - Victims were subject to headaches, nausea, aching joints, fever of degrees, vomiting, and a general feeling of illness. Symptoms took from 1-7 days to appear. Fig 6 frm insecta.com

The pneumonic plague - The second most commonly seen form of the Black Death. - - The pneumonic and the septicemic plague were probably seen less then the bubonic plague because the victims often died before they could reach other places. - - The pneumonic plague infected the lungs. Symptoms included slimy sputum tinted with blood. - - It was transmitted through droplets sprayed from the lungs and mouth of an infected person. Fig 7 frm insecta.com

The septicemic plague - The most rare form of all. - - Symptoms were a high fever and skin turning deep shades of purple due to DIC. - - The bubonic and septicemic plague were transmitted by the the bite of an infected flea. Fig 8. frm insecta.com

The path of the Black Death Fig 9 frm medievaleurope.org

- It is believed the plague originated in Asia, and moved west with Mongol armies and traders. - If the plague had just stayed in one city, the containment might have spared Europe. Unfortunately, the plague spread when people fled to other cities. Fig 10. frm medievaleurope.org

A destructed economy Fig 11. frm mikemattner.com

The economy - The economy was probably hit the hardest of all the aspects of Europe. The biggest problem was that valuable artisan skills disappeared when large numbers of the working class died. Therefore, those who had skills became even more valuable than the rich people. Fig 12 frm timeday.org

The Berchinis - People called "Bechini" pillaged homes, murdering and raping people. They dressed in red robes with red masks and only their eyes showed. They were ruthless and cared about nothing not even death. Fig 13. frm inspecta.com

Death so much death People were surrounded by so much death people couldn’t enjoy there lives and wanted to die themsleves, Figure 14. frm inspecta.com

Art - The damage to art is irreparable. As a result of death in the church, written language was almost lost and whole churches were abandoned. Carving was changed. Coffins had pictures of corpses on the lid, usually showing a very flattering likeness of the body inside wearing their best clothes. - - Painting was effected too. There are a number of paintings containing people socializing with skeletons. These paintings were made on a powerful person's command, and called "danse macabre". Artists abandoned old ways of painting things idolized by the Christian religion. They were so depressed by the death that surrounded them that they began to paint pictures of sad and dead people. Fig 15 frm midevialeurope.org

Effect on children - Partially due to the lack of children's skills to provide for themselves, the children suffered. A common nursery rhyme is proof. - - Ring a-round the rosy Pocket full of posies Ashes, ashes! We all fall down! Fig 16. frm inspecta.com

Effect over time - The economic structure of land-based wealth shifted. Portable wealth in the form of money, skills and services emerged. Small towns and cities grew while large estates and manors began to collapse. The very social, economic, and political structure of Europe was forever altered. One tiny insect, a flea, toppled feudalism and changed the course of history in Europe. Fig 17 frm inspecta.com

Lack of help - What were the efforts to stop the plague? Although the government had medical workers try to prevent the plague, the plague persisted. Most medical workers quit and journeyed away because they feared getting the plague themselves. Fig 18. frm medical procedures.com

A way to avoid the plague - Pope Clement VI, living at Avignon, sat between two large fires to breath pure air. The plague bacillus actually is destroyed by heat, so this was one of the few truly effective measures taken. Fig 19. frm clipart

Effect on music and art People's attitudes towards music and art changed as they began to see the depression surrounding them. The horrific nature of the Black Death was reflected in the realistic depictions of human suffering and carnage as well as the symbolic use of the skeleton. - Fig 20. frm inspecta.com

Effects on music and art - Before the Black Death, music was happy and frequently heard. During the Black Death music was played very grimly or never played at all. The only exceptions were people who decided that since they were going to die anyway, they might as well spend the rest of their life in happiness. The somber change in art and music demonstrated the grim reality of the world around them. Fig 21. frm inspecta.com

Quotes from the black death "It was dark before I could get home, and so land at Churchyard stairs, where to my great trouble I met a dead corps of the plague in the narrow ally just bringing down a little pair of stairs."S. Pepys "Realizing what a deadly disaster had come to them the people quickly drove the Italians from their city. However, the disease remained, and soon death was every where. Fathers abandoned their sick sons. Lawyers refused to come and make out wills for the dying. Friars and nuns were left to care for the sick, and monasteries and convents were soon deserted, as they were stricken, too. Bodies were left in empty houses, and there was no one to give them a Christian burial."Unknown Boccaccio said that the victims, "ate lunch with their friend and dinner with their ancestors in paradise." Fig 22. frm clipart

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