What Are The Short-Term Effects Of The Black Death

Humanities – Black Death (Essay)
“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.” ― Charles Darwin. The immediate pains of the Black Death were worth the long-term gains. Without this catastrophic event we may never have experienced the freedoms we enjoy today. Because of the Black Death, people became less restricted by the rules that the church and the feudal system enforced. This allowed the people freedom and choice. Also, without the experience of the plague, our medical knowledge wouldn’t be as advanced as it is today. Even though the devastation of the Black Death horrifically changed the lives of thousands, the remaining citizens have adapted to the outcome and change that
The black plague killed an estimated 75–200 million people in the 14th century. It is estimated that between one-quarter and two-thirds of the European population (35 million people) died from the outbreak between 1348 and 1350. This reduction in citizens lead to scarce labour. The Black Death not only generated a massive loss in population, but also caused famine. This loss is because labourers were dying of the sickness, fields were unploughed, wheat was not sowed and vines not trimmed leading to a shortage of food and insignificant food income. Source A shows the percentage of the deaths caused by the Black Death in Europe. Families were devastated as they watched relatives die. There was segregation of the sick and friends and family were forced to abandon the affected, leading to a breakdown in the family unit. The Black Death also triggered ethnic hatred on a massive scale. A group of lay extremists called the flagellants emerged. They directly challenged the power of the church. They began to blame themselves for the black plague and punished themselves through pain and suffering. They walked the streets, stripped at the waist, and in large groups. Source B shows a contemporary view of the flagellants as they torcher themselves by whipping themselves. These short-term effects also triggered the long-term effects which impacted on the
The Black Death led to new knowledge and awareness. The biggest realisation the Black Death brought was the idea that the Black Death was ‘contagious.’ It was realised that contact with someone with the plague or even with their clothing was dangerous. They discovered that the plague was spread through tiny rat fleas, as these fleas jumped on rats and other rodents and infected them. When the rats died the fleas fed on human beings. Source D shows the cycle in which people were infected with the black plague. It displays how the plague started and progressed. Doctors also became more experienced by ruling out the treatments that didn’t work. They learnt to keep the streets clean and free from disease. By changing and improving the hygiene situation they could stop the plague and many other diseases. The Middle Ages doctors learnt many important facts because of the Black Death. As you can see in Source E, medieval people learnt that “The streets should be cleaned of all human and animal waste. It should be taken by a cart to a field outside of the village and burnt. All bodies should be buried in deep pits outside of the village and their clothes should also be burnt.” This is the first idea and realisation of hygiene and how it can prevent plagues and sicknesses. The experience that the black plague