25 Million Dead

• In 1347 a mysterious illness began to affect the Mediterranean ports of Europe.

• By the time this first outbreak had subsided close to 1/3 of the human population of Europe had been killed.

• The foundational structures of European society would never be the same.

ASK???

• How much of the European population died from the Black Plague?

What is the Black Death?

• The Bubonic Plague is a disease called Versinia Pestis.

• It is carried by fleas that mainly live on black rats.

• These rats normally lived in the wild and weren’t harmed by the diseased fleas.

ASK???

• What is another name for the Black Death?

How did the Disease Spread?• Began in Asia during the

1330s.• First recorded case in

Sicily-Trader ships docked & unloaded before they realized they were infected

• Spread along sea trade routes

• Within 4 years almost all of Western Europe was infected

ASK???

• How was the disease spread?

European Living Conditions• The living conditions

in Medieval Europe helped the rats and fleas that carried the disease to thrive.

• People didn’t take baths and most were infested with lice and fleas.

ASK???

• How would you describe the typical living conditions of Europeans?

Medieval Medicine?• Medical knowledge

at the time was very limited

• Doctors of medieval times had no ideas about parasites or what diseases really were.

Treatments!!!• Some common treatments prescribed were:

– Bleedings– Taking herbal pills– Breathing in the odor from latrines (seriously!!!)– Various potions and concoctions.

ASK???

• What medical information from the Middle Ages do you think is the strangest and why?

Effects of the Plague• Trade declined • Prices for some products

actually went up as they were harder to acquire.

• Populations reduced• Religion-People either lost

faith or became more involved in their faith

• Break down of feudalism• Anti-Semitism-Christians

blamed the Jews-Many Jews were persecuted and killed

ASK???

• What effect do you think was the most significant and why?

The Plague TODAY