Bubonic Plague: The Black Death

Alex Shifman
Ms. Nehill
Period F
3/2/18

The bubonic plague also known as the black death was responsible for killing a third of the population in China and Europe in a span of 7 years. The Bubonic plague was referred to as the Black Death, because of the blackening of the skin due to the dried blood that accumulated under the skin's surface (Lerner). From 1346 to 1353, the black plague ravished across Europe and Asia (Cohn). People first suffered fever, chills, headaches and nausea, then they developed painful tumors around their lymph nodes, then hunger, fatigue and attacks of mania and panic, and ultimately death. Entire villages disappeared, serfs abandoned lands and fields that were once fertile, and people fled the continent trying …show more content…
It didn’t matter if a person was old or young, rich or poor, lived in the city or in the farming areas - the plague was everywhere. It took many years to learn how the plague started - at first people thought it was caused by XX but eventually it was discovered to be caused by a virus carried by fleas that lived on rats. The flea acquired the bacterium that causes the disease as it lives on the skin of the rodent. In 1330 the climate in Asia was warm, and a severe drought forced people to come into closer contact with animals. Cities were big, overcrowded and unsanitary. There was no modern plumbing or knowledge of good hygiene. Rats and fleas were common household pests and nobody paid them much attention. Thatch used for roofing, and walls and straw used for bedding provided perfect nesting places for rats and their flees. For reasons unknown, a large number of rats became infected with the bacteria that caused the plague (name of bacteria). When the rats died the fleas need a host so they jump to humans which infected them. But who started the plague and how did it spread so quickly? The mongols were intentionally and unintentionally responsible for the spread of the black plague because of their growth of trade, barbaric …show more content…
The mongolian empire was the largest land empire in history and extended 6,000 miles and covering 16% of the world's land mass. Their rule lasted for about 90 years and were known to have unified all of China. They were also known to be incredibly barbaric. The first Mongol ruler was Genghis Khan and he came to power in 1206 after the the death of Jamukha and the defeat of the Naimans. Genghis Khan was proclaimed the ruler of all the Mongols. He was a controversial leader for his barbarisms, but also a great leader, that united the Mongol tribes and founded the Mongol Empire. After conquering his enemies at home, he turned to expanding his empire. He fought his way through the countryside all over China, taking prisoners and wiping out opposition. He used lots of new technology, learning from the Chinese who he captured, such as siege weaponry. By 1215 he had reached Beijing, the Jin capital. He sacked the city and put many to death. He then turned his attention to Sultan Muhammad II (1169–1220), who ruled Khwarezm (present-day Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan). Initially, Genghis Khan wanted to establish trading links with the sultan. But when Genghis Khan’s ambassadors were killed by the sultan’s men, Genghis Khan decided to take the sultan’s land for himself. He continued his expansion across what is now northeastern Iran, southern Turkey and Afghanistan. In 1221, after his

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The Bubonic Plague And The Black Death