The Black Death: The Most Significant Events Of The Renaissance

The Renaissance was a significant period that placed humans on the center stage. “New Birth” is the meaning of Renaissance. This “New Birth” that sprouted out of Italy and scattered throughout Europe revolutionized the minds of men from their medieval age thinking to modern thinking. People begin to have new interest in classical literature, learning, and art. .A new culture was birthed from the Renaissance which brought Europe out of the darkest and into the light. However not only is the Renaissance known for its intellectual achievements, but by tremendous events that had a profound impact on the continent of Europe.

One of the most significant events in the Renaissance period was the Black Death. It is believed that the Black Death originated

It was greatest natural disaster in European history as it brought great distress among people. Loss of life was catastrophic and depopulation was rapid as Europe loss 25%- 50% of its population. The Black Death was “a combination of bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemia”. However the cause of these diseases resulted in the Y.pestis bacteria. Fleas that lived on black rats carried this bacteria. Whenever a rat or secondary host was unable to provide an environment for the fleas, the fleas would leech on to a human being. Humans are “not a preferred host for Y.Pestis, but rather the victims” (Gottfried, 7) of it. The Y. Pestis bacteria can bring about three diseases: bubonic, pneumonic, and seticaemic. The Bubonic Plague was the most common. It was transmitted through insert bites. “The initial symptom” of bubonic was “a blackish, often gangrenous pustile at the point of the bite, is followed by an enlargement of lymph nodes in the armpits, groin, or neck, depending on the place of the flea bite.” (Gottfried, 8). Pneumonic plague was transmitted directly from the interaction of people. This plague causes a massive drop in body temperature and a severe cough. It had a death rate of 95% to 100%. The septicaemic plague is very rare and transmitted through the human fleas. “A rash forms within hours and death occurs within a day, before the buboes even have

Aristocrats and churchmen, high ranks in society who control majority of the property were now being questioned by peasants and merchants, low ranks in society, who acquired prosperity “from trade in agricultural and industrial goods” about their “continuing role as underlings in Europe’s social structure” (Gottfried, xiv). This challenged notion resulted from the huge reduce of population. Political development were significantly affected from this. The Hundred Years War which was conflict between the English and French lasted more than hundred years because of the Black Death. Many aristocrats income decline significantly because of the absence income of manors and estates. To make up for the lack of income, aristocrats wage war amongst each other. “War gave rich opportunities for substitution lost agrarian incomes through wages of war” (Benedictow, 6). Military serviceman were granted wages and rewards from their war service to their Aristocrat. Aristocrats saw war as a tool to gain tremendous amount of income and therefore continue to use this tool. The Black Death can be accredited for reconstructing all systemic institutions in