Black Death Dbq

The Silk Road was a network of trade routes that reached from China to Europe, connecting the West and the East. The route would begin in China, then head west towards India, then it would go through the Middle East, then to Africa, and finally from Africa they would sail to Europe. This route is most widely known for circulating goods and cultures between these countries, but it is less known for its spread of disease, the Black Death. The Black Death, a plague caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria, originated in China or Central Asia and was spread to Europe by fleas and rats that resided on ships and along the Silk Road. The Black Death killed millions in China, India, Persia (Iran), the Middle East, the Caucasus, and North Africa. Italian

In that time doctors did not understand the origin of disease and how it was transmitted, so it was common for people to believe that supernatural powers were a part of it. They saw the plague as divine punishment. Flagellation, the act of self-mutilation through whipping, became common and many people began to beat themselves in the hope of offsetting their supposed sins. Failure of the Church to protect the people and its own clergy led to a dramatic loss of power and influence. However, it was far easier for people to loose faith and to point at the shortcomings. Specific groups were singled out for persecution and the Jews quickly became the primary scapegoat for the 14th century plague. This religious group was accused of conspiring to spread the plague by poisoning the waters and infecting the air, since Jews were often merchants and the infected rats were carried by

Since it was so difficult (and dangerous) to acquire goods through trade and to produce them, the prices of both goods produced locally and those imported from afar skyrocketed. Also, because of illness and death workers became exceedingly scarce, so even peasants felt the effects of the new rise in wages. The demand for people to work the land was so high that it threatened the manorial holdings. These economic change greatly influenced the European countries socially. As a consequence of the economic impact brought by the plague, social distinctions sharpened. The fashions of the nobility became more extravagant in order to emphasize the social standing of the person wearing the clothing. The peasants became slightly more empowered, and revolted when the aristocracy attempted to resist the changes brought about by the plague. The social and economic structure of Europe was drastically and irretrievably