In the early 1300’s, there was a gigantic decline of population. This was caused by a plague. A horrible plague. This was known as the Black Death.
It was the most deadly thing around back then, and it was a very disgusting plague. The Black Death began in Asia and China, and very quickly spread across the world to Europe. It started on returning ships and traveling vessels that carry loads of spices. On the vessels, were rats and mice that had been diagnosed with this deadly plague. They had gotten it from ticks and fleas (ASTDHPPHE).
Once you are bitten by one of these ticks and fleas, you would not notice, because in the early 1300’s they were completely oblivious about the fact that they could get sick from germs and bites.
Once bitten by a flea or tick with the Black Death, they would inject bacteria into your body through the bite. This bacteria would then multiply in the stomach, and eventually within hours and days, would clog the digestive system. When a tick or flea bites, it vomits all their bacteria, and intestines into the body. This was the root cause of the Black Death Plague. In fact, there was not only one plague. There were three.
All caused by the same thing, there were three different categories of this Black Death. (Ennis) The first is the most common, but the least deadly of the three. The bubonic plague (infection of the lymph glands).
The Essay on History of the Bubonic Plague / Black Death
Paige Young February 1, 2013 Period 3 History of the Bubonic Plague / Black Death Throughout the years there have been out breaks of the Black Death. The Black Death began in Asia and eventually spread throughout Europe and later it spread to the rest of the world. The Black Death is still around today and still kills thousands of people each year. The Bubonic Plague or Black Death began in Asia. ...
This was the fastest spreading plague, making it the most common. Fortunately, it wasn’t as deadly as the other two.
The symptoms of this plague are exactly like a cold or flu. These symptoms would form a couple days after the bite. Excessive swelling in the throat, and the feeling of phlegm in one spot are two of the symptoms. This is spread by sneezing and coughing. It would release the germs and bacteria causing pain in the throat, and producing black splotches of blood in the skin. 1/3 of the people who got the bubonic plague died from it (Ennis).
The next common was the pneumonic plague (infection of the lungs).
This was more serious than the bubonic, but less people died from it (Ennis).
About 2/3 of the people who caught it did die. The death was faster than Bubonic, which was about a week. This plague caused coughing that begins to release liquefied lungs and decaying body parts. (Ennis) The third and final plague, and the most deadly, is known as the septicemic plague (infection of the blood).
This was the least common, although the fastest and deadliest plague of the three. In this plague, they would take a cloth, or a handkerchief and hold it by their face, because by then, they realized that somehow if one person got it, then it would spread to other people. Because septicemic was the infection of the blood, the people with this would cough up a lot of blood. This plague lasted only about 36 hours at most. It would not be very easy to catch early, and help it, so the best they could do is let them die.
This had a huge effect on everyone because of the decline in population (Ennis).
It’s amazing to look back to the 1300’s, and notice how the Black Death was caused from just a little tiny flea and tick. Just a simple bite from an infected flea can kill hundreds of thousands of people. The plagues lasted about 200 years, and could still be around today (Rice).
