Death and destruction were a part of the daily experience

Death and destruction were a part of the daily experience of all societies in medieval times. Children frequently did not live beyond the age of two, there were so many ways in which they might die. Childbirth was a dangerous hazard for women. Men died in war. In the midst of these frequent occurrences of death was the recurrence of the Bubonic Plague, also known as the Black Plague. Here are two websites that give some details about the Black Plague and its impact on Europe in Medieval times.

For this written assignment, please review the references (below) about the plague. Write a paper on a theme that intrigues you. Some ideas are:

• The impact on families
• The economic impact
• Differential impact on different levels of society (the rich and the poor)
• Impact on treatment of minority groups, such as the Jews or women.

References

The Great Famine (1315-1317) and the Black Death (1346-1351) (via The Virtual Library)

The Black Death: The Greatest Catastrophe Ever (via History Today)

Blame and Persecution (via Black Death Facts)

Jewish History Sourcebook: The Black Death and the Jews 1348-1349 CE (via Fordham University)

Maybe Rats Aren’t to Blame for the Black Death (via National Geographic)