1. Unit 5 The Crisis of the late Middle Ages The Cause and effects of the Black Death on Western Europe

2. Black Death / Bubonic Plague

3. Preconditions in 14 th Century Europe  3 years of bad harvests, number of livestock down  Too many people (pop 2x)  Population weakened  Unsanitary living conditions  Interconnected nature of trade  Travel between cities and to the East

4. Origins of The Plague  Origins in many areas in the East (killed 35 million in Asia)  China, Arabian Peninsula, Middle East, East Africa  In 1347 the Western Europe sees its first outbreak of the plague in Sicily  Originated in the Black Sea port of Caffa  Brought to Sicily by Genoese merchants

5. Path of the plague

6. Science of The Plague  Bacteria Yersinia Pestis  Found in many different strains  Signs of infection included  High fever, Swelling, Nausea, Respiratory failure  Found inside the stomach of the Oriental Rat Flea (X Cheopis) which can jump 220 x its body size  Immunity: Innate and acquired  3 forms of the plague

7. Human infection

8. Bubonic  Most common strain (30% to 75% mortality)  Transmitted by flea bite, Symptoms in 1 – 7 days  Symptoms: headaches, nausea, high Fever  Characteristic Bubos or blackish swelling  Usually in Armpits, neck or groin  Nervous System Failure, Respiratory Failure  Internal hemorrhaging

9. Pneumonic  Second most common strain (usually in Winter)  90% mortality  Infected lungs caused Severe coughing  Transmission became airborne  Coughing and Spittle in air  Did not spread fast or far (usually abandoned)  Death came more quickly

10. Septicemic  Rarest form of the plague  100% mortality  Transmission by insect bite  Bacteria enters bloodstream in such large numbers that it causes an overdose of the bacteria  Immediate symptoms  Death within a day or same day of symptoms  Bubos don’t even have time to form

11. Remedies, Reactions and Myths  The Jews had poisoned the wells (25:00) The Jews had poisoned the wells The Jews had poisoned the wells  Poison gas had been released  Aromatic amulets  Flight and seclusion  Only the rich  Flagellants  (punish ourselves?)  Hedonists (why not?)  Cats/Comets

12. Consequences of the Plague  Social/Economic (36:06) Social/Economic  Decline in labor made labor was more valuable  Wealthy saw the value of their land decline  Poor revolted  Religious  People lost faith, clergy and Church failed to provide answers (look to themselves)  Caused the reformation and the Scientific Revolution  Political  Power of nobles reduced (Kings centralized their power)

13. ...The End...