What was the black death and what were the consequences of this pandemic for Europe?

What was the black death?

a plague that ravaged Europe, East Asia, and North Africa in 14th century

What made probability of outbreak higher?

Afro-Eurasian population was vulnerable because they had no immunity to the disease

Where was the first outbreak?

a heavily populated region in western China

How did the disease mainly spread?

through China and along major trade routes westward

Where did trade routes end?

Italian port cities

What did the black death follow?

the Great Famine in Europe where many people died of starvation and disease

What also led people to become more vulnerable to disease and why the black death spread quickly?

climate change

What was the black death traced to?

a deadly microbe

What did people believe the black death was caused by?

breathing bad air

How much did Europe’s population shrink by?

50%

What happened to the crops?

they rotted in fields

What happened to manufacturing?

it ceased

What did food shortages lead to?

rapidly rising prices, work stopages, and unrest