The+Bubonic+Plague

= __**The Bubonic Plague**__ = //__**Overview:**__//
 * The advent of the bubonic plague was easily one of the most influential (and destructive) events in the history of Europe, murdering a good fifty percent of the population, and contributing vastly to the demise of feudalism as a political system. It first struck in the early 600s, during the reign of Justinian (Byzantine), and murdered about forty percent of the population of Constantinople. It did not return again until the resurgence in the 14th Century.**


 * The plague is thought to have come from the Chinese, spreading by means of the Silk Road to Europe during the Mongol/Yuan Dynasty. It murdered approximately 100,000,000 across the world, and was the underlying cause for social, religious, economic, and even military upheaval in Europe. Europe's population did not recover from the Plague until 1450 or so; after its "departure", it returned several more times, until it left entirely in the 1800s.**

//__**Causes:**__//
 * Many believed that the Plague was caused by God's wrath, Satan, or "bad air"; it was actually caused by Oriental rat fleas, which came on rats to Europe by boat and trade. Because Europeans often attributed good hygiene to the Devil and refused to bathe, living conditions were exceptionally disgusting, and cities were more like cesspools and breeding grounds for diseases. The streets were filthy (people threw their urine out the windows onto the streets), and even kings only bathed once every few months, at most.**
 * Europe had extremely harsh winters at the time, which caused famines and food shortages. Population growth and malnutrition caused higher susceptibility rates to diseases and infections, due to weakened immune systems. The Great Famine, which happened during 1315-1317, reduced the population of Europe by ten percent, and weakened it sufficiently for an outbreak to occur.**

//__**Symptoms:**__//
 * The fever would cause temperatures of approximately 101 F to 105 F, headaches, Pain, aching joints, nausea, vomiting, groin pains, tender lymphnoids, muscle cramps, chills, seizures, the skin's color changing to a pink hue, bleeding out of the ears, and an overall feeling of sickness were extremely common. People often got gangrene in their appendages, and would lose legs and arms. Plague victims were often quarantined or killed, to prevent the spread of the disease. If left untreated 80% would die within 80 days.**
 * The Cure: There were possible and accepted "cures for the black plague, but no exact way to cure the disease completly. It wasnt uncommon for infected to go into "dorment" stages, showing no symptoms but after days or even weeks later the symptoms would reoccur. Many people surived the plague while still harboring the patogen in their system, their body's simply built an immunity.**
 * Spread: The Plague spread quiet rapidly, killing 30-60% of Europe's Population. The disease spread so quickly due to the population living within such close perimeters of one another, also with the population's lack of knowledge on contagious diseases and the prevention of the dieseases. The lack of hygiene in the streets, and the people themselves made the spread of any diseases, especially the Black Plague, easily spreadthrough the streets and country lines.**

**__Map: The Spread of the Plague__//://**



__//**Effects on Europe:**//__ //__**Recurrances in Later Europe:**__// //**__Modern Day:__**//
 * The bubonic plague reduced Europe's population drastically; in the 14th century alone, it killed roughly 75 million-200 million people. The massive decrease in population led to a shortage of laborers; this in turn furthered the demise of the feudalism system. Since there was fewer and fewer laborers, the lords were desperate for manpower and this gave the serfs leverage. They could demand higher wages and if their needs were not met, they could simply move on to another lord that would meet their demands. The lack of laborers also led to a increase in the price of food. Another effect of the plague was the loss of faith in religion. Some people believed that the plague was God's wrath, which in turn led some people to become disillusioned with and abandon their religious beliefs.**
 * While the plague peaked in Europe between 1348-1350, smaller epidemics continued to return and haunt Europe, though these smaller resurgences were not nearly as devastating. Between 1346-1671, the plague was present somewhere in Europe. A few more well known resurgences included the repeated epidemics in London, where it returned sporadically through out the 16th and 17th centuries. Other resurgences include the Italian Plague of 1629-1631 and the Great Plague of London in 1665.**
 * The bubonic plague still exists today, though no epidemics comparable to the ones that ravaged Europe have occured present day. According to the World Health Organization, there are mearly 1,000-3,000 cases of the bubonic plague reported worldwide yearly, while the Center of Disease Control and Prevention statistics show there are only 10-15 cases of the plague annually in the United States. Present day, the plague would be treated with antibotics.**

**__Treatment:__** **Recommended treatment of the Plague was a good diet, lots of rest, "leeches", possible relocation and quarantine for clean air.**

SOURCES: Picture: [] Information: [] Textbook: World Civilizations: The Global Experience []