Analyse the socio-economic, political, religious and cultural consequences of the Black Death

Essay by macca11874High School, 12th grade August 2009

download word file, 11 pages 4.5

Downloaded 58 times

Analyse the socio-economic, political, religious and cultural consequences of the Black DeathThe Black Death was one of the deadliest pandemics in human history, with its effects peaking in Europe between 1347 and 1351. This essay examines the socio-economic, political and religious and cultural consequences of the Black Death, the worst plague the world had ever seen. The later Middle Ages, of course, are usually characterized by historians as a period of crisis and trouble. As Bowsky notes, however, "the Black Death was not responsible for this crisis, for evidence of the changes can be seen well before 1347" (Bowsky 1978, 23). Arguably, the Black Death acted as a catalyst for the problems that had plagued the latter half of the Middle Ages, exacerbating old problems, while founding new ones which led to the end of feudalism, the rise of the peasantry and the end of the Middle Ages.

In essence, one tiny insect, a flea, toppled feudalism and changed the course of history in Europe. This essay commences with a brief overview of the demographic impact of the Black Death. It argues that the plague did much more than devastate the medieval population. It caused a substantial change in economic and social structures in all areas of the world. It also opened up the possibility of increased peasant prosperity: Europe had been overpopulated before the plague, and a reduction of thirty percent to fifty percent of the population should have meant less competition for resources, more available land and food, and higher wages. The Black Death certainly changed the general attitudes of the populace towards organised religion and, finally, artistic expression and culture slowly started to reflect the impact of this plague.

Some sources estimate that, over the three-year period 1348 - 1350, "between one-third and one-half of...