Black Plague Research Paper

Human Nature During the Black Plague In the 14th-century outbreak of the Black Plague, many subjects were impacted, as well as the majority of Europe’s population. These cases of the Plague is a great example of how people react to major catastrophes throughout history and in everyday life. This is a good example because the plague inflicted Europeans with great harm and fear even after it had run its course. Europe's society was also drastically changed in ways that led to advancements of medicine, art, church and religion, and also greatly affected the citizens. When the Black Plague first struck in Europe, it came with many psychological effects and psychosocial reactions for the majority of Europeans. This deadly Plague caused many citizens …show more content…
Both church and religion had major advancements and impacts made, which helped and harmed them. Due to the psychological effect that took place, many people turned to God for help and believed that he would cure the dreadful sickness, and many others thought that this was God’s punishment for their sins they’d committed: “To most people of medieval Europe, the plague was a punishment from God for their sins” (Cohen). This both benefited and hurt the church as although there were new members, the church could have also lost some due to people believing God was behind this illness. However, the year 1350 “had been proclaimed Holy Year…. Many hoped the pilgrimage would help avoid the plague” (Cohen). During Easter of 1350, over 15,000 pilgrims had journeyed over to Europe in hopes that religion would get rid of the Plague. Not only was religion impacted at the time the plague was taking place, it was also affected afterward. Nearly a century after the Black Plague took place, medieval Christianity had been privatized, “The century after the Black Death was marked - in England, France, the Low Countries, and Germany - by what may be called the privatization of medieval Christianity” (Cantor). This means that medieval Christianity was now under private control and the higher classmen had full authority over it. The fact that people just started to resort to anything in order to

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