Bubonic Plague

Imagine every third person you know suffering and finally dying from a horrific disease. Approximately one-third of the population of Europe died of a deadly disease known as the bubonic plague. Europe was not alone in this catastrophe; portions of Northern Africa and Asia were also affected. The extent of the devastation caused by the bubonic plague can be explained by examining the culture of the 1300s. The population was unaware of how the disease was spread and therefore no preventable measures were made. The plague affected social, political, religious, and economic life. The disease was able to spread from Asia into Europe and North Africa.
The bubonic plague was unstoppable for the time period. In the 1300s they didn’t know much about medicine. (Doc 5) They tried leeches on the people who were infected with the plague. Most people did not believe medicine was the cure of the plague, they thought it was God. A Major factor that led to the spread of the plague is how overcrowded the cities were.
The plague terrified people causing a dramatic change in social, political, religious, and economic life. (Doc 2) This scourge had implanted so great a terror in the hearts of men and women that brothers abandoned brothers, uncles their nephews, sisters their brothers, and in many cases wives deserted their husbands. But even worse… fathers and mothers refused to nurse and assist their own children. In many areas of Europe the kings would die of the plague causing chaos in some societies. The death toll led to high body counts. (Doc 6) In Siena great pits were dug and piled deep with the multitude of death, as soon as they were filled more were dug. Improper disposal of the dead led to further spread of the disease.

(Doc 1) The epidemic originated in north eastern Mongolia, then on to China, and then other parts of Asia. Constantinople was next, and then the disease spread across the Mediterranean Sea on to Italy, Africa, and Spain. Eventually it spread to Great