Bubonic plague ap world history

SECTION 6
Man and Disease: The Black Death





Beginning in 1347 and continuing for a full five years, a devastating plague swept Europe, leaving in its wake more than twenty million people dead. This epidemic now known as the "Black Death" was an outbreak of bubonic plague which had begun somewhere in the heart of Asia and spread westward along trade routes. The consequences to Europe were profound. Besides immeasurable pain and grief, traditional Medieval society was thrown into chaos, economies were fractured, the Church lost status, and art and literature took a turn for the gruesome and bizarre. At the same time, the plague brought benefits as well: modern labor movements, improvements in medicine and a new approach to life. Indeed, much of the Italian Renaissance—even Shakespeare's drama to some extent—is an aftershock of the Black Death. Today its repercussions may be felt in the resistance to AIDS seen in some European populations. By any measure taken, the Black Death was world-shattering and shows how even the smallest of things, the microbial world, can at times steer the course of human civilization.





People, Places, Events and Terms To

Black Death


Understanding the Black Death


Today, scientists understand that the Black Death, now known as the plague, is spread by a bacillus called
Yersinia

pestis
. (The French biologist Alexandre Yersin discovered this germ at the end of the 19th century.)



They know that the bacillus travels from person to person through the air, as well as through the bite of infected fleas and rats. Both of these pests could be found almost everywhere in medieval Europe, but they were particularly at home aboard ships of all kinds—which is how the deadly plague made its way through one European port city after another.



Not long after it struck Messina, the Black Death spread to the port of Marseilles in France and the port of Tunis in North Africa. Then it reached Rome and Florence, two cities at the center of an elaborate web of trade routes. By the middle of 1348, the Black Death had struck Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon and London.



Today, this grim sequence of events is terrifying but comprehensible. In the middle of the 14th century, however, there seemed to be no rational explanation for it.



No one knew exactly how the Black Death was transmitted from one patient to another, an


AP World History Question 443: Answer and Explanation




Question: 443



3.
Which of the following was a direct effect of the bubonic plague in Europe?


A. The nearly complete shutdown of trade between Europe and China

B. A massive labor shortage that caused a strain on the feudal system in Europe

C. An increased focus on finding new maritime routes between Europe and East Asia

D. The beginning of the Renaissance and the reemergence of classical learning



Correct Answer:
B


Explanation:


One immediate consequence of the bubonic plague was the vast number of lives lost to the disease. More than half of the population of Europe succumbed to the plague between 1346 and 1353. As a result, Europe experienced a massive labor shortage, making landlords desperate for farmers and other laborers to work on their lands. These changes gave low-wage workers more bargaining power, weakening the feudal system in Europe. Thus, (B) is correct. (A) and (C) might have been tempting, since they mention the primary topic of the first paragraph of the passage: trade. However, although there were some disruptions due to the number of deaths, trade did not stop as a result of the plague, ma

key term - Black Death


Definition

The Black Death was a devastating global epidemic of bubonic plague that swept through Europe, Asia, and North Africa in the 14th century, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 25 to 30 million people. Its impact on trade, society, and the economy fundamentally changed Europe and altered the course of history, influencing various aspects of life from environmental changes to cultural shifts.



5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test


The Black Death is estimated to have killed 30-60% of Europe's population, leading to significant labor shortages and economic disruptions.

It spread rapidly due to increased trade routes and movement of people, notably along the Silk Road and maritime trade networks.

The plague caused a shift in social structures, weakening the feudal system as labor became more valuable and serfs sought better conditions.

Art and literature during and after the Black Death reflected themes of death and mortality, influencing cultural perceptions of life.

Public health responses emerged as communities tried to manage outbreaks, leading to early forms of quarantine and changes in public health policies.




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