The Bubonic Plague In Medieval Europe

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History is often marked by disastrous events, the 1300’s was not any different. Disease, famine, and corruption left medieval Europe ripe for an epidemic. One particular epidemic had a perfect environment to make its destructive sweep. Although the Black Death ravaged through Europe, killing almost one third of the entire population, its effects proved to be beneficial both then and now. Almost everyone has heard of the bubonic plague, but few know its defining characteristics. To begin with, the Black Death, or bubonic plague, was blamed for several other diseases that struck Europe during the same time (“Plague” 1 ). Most of Europe was halfway through a century of war, famine, and scandal in the church, leaving the area weak (Whipps). So, it made its way through Europe in the 1350’s killing almost one third of the entire population (McGill 1-2). This particular bubonic plague is transmitted by being bitten by one of many insects that are carried by different rodents. When first infected with the disease, the patient will have headache, nausea, vomiting, aching joints, and general feeling of ill health. …show more content…
With the population getting out of control, the plague can be seen as natural selection. “By Targeting frail people of all ages, and killing them by the hundreds of thousands within and extremely short period of time, the Black Death might have represented a strong force of natural selection and removed the weakest of individuals on a very broad scale within Europe.” Said Sharon N. Dewitte. It has also been shown that the survival rate of the post-plague population significantly increased (Whipps). The Black Death also caused the relocation of many groups of people. When the Black Death would hit a village or city, the healthy people often fled out of fear of contracting the disease. Often times, it was the first time for these people to move in several generations