How Did The Plague Affect European Society

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The population during the 14th century changed drastically after the plague swept away almost 1/3 of Europe’s population. Merchants from Asia shipped products to Europe during this time. These ships were dirty and often were full of rats and fleas; which were animals that carried the plague. The people living in Europe had just witnessed a famine, so many of the people were weak and susceptible to get the plague. One of the major shifts after the plague was the change in the social classes. Some families lost their entire family lines, therefore leaving their extravagant homes, and money to people who survived the plague, like the serfs and peasants. The epidemic also caused a change in the social class and the levels of society. Citizens in …show more content…
The survivors of the plague had just witnessed their family, friends, and community member die from one of the biggest death tolls in history, and people wanted to make sure that health was of serious concern. After the plague, the people saw a much bigger gap between the upper and the middle class, so new schools were also developed to give people another chance to become educated and have higher positions in society. Survivors of the plague shifted their focus to creating educational institutes for people to go, learn, and become educated, primarily in the priesthood. Princes also felt a need to go to school so that they could become more educated and known as “patrons of education.” Instead of traveling hundreds of miles to receive an education, educational institutions became much more familiar, and people began to “study nearer home.” Society changed because of the plague due to the shift in the social classes, the increase of peasants and serfs becoming a higher class, and the evaluation of the health knowledge in the communities. While society was influential during the 14th century, the people and the cities revolved around the