After the Black Death in Europe, It Is Time for a New Beginning

Europe went through a period of calamities during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Populations were wiped out and the church lost much of its power. The population of Europe faced two main crises during the early Renaissance period: the black plague and the Great Schism, and through their reactions, the Renaissance was allowed to flourish.

Between the 1300s and 1500s, Europe experienced a period of cultural rebirth known as the Renaissance, marking the transition from medieval times to modern times. The Renaissance brought new importance to individual expression, self-consciousness and worldly experience.

Change gives a more appropriate impression of the time than the optimistic word Renaissance. There were changes in faith, society, and the economy due to the massive loss of people. For faith, priests were unable to perform all their duties, such as hearing confessions and last rites, either from the overwhelming need for priests or from they themselves trying to avoid becoming sick. Socially, there was a moral leniency from the “cathartic release of emotions” from the plague (67). Attempts to stop this leniency failed and social constraints continued to loosen. Economically, the Black Death left a shortage of both consumers and producers, so wages went up and the price of goods went down, raising the

In the late Middle Ages the worst evil known to man terrorized Europe. People were dropping dead everywhere and there was no place to put them. This vicious culprit was known as the Black Plague. During the 14th century in Europe millions of people died from the plague and the plague brought about great change. Before the plague there was peace and prosperity in the High Middle Ages and after the plague things were different. Historians consider the outbreak of the Black Plague a watershed moment because of great social, religious and economical changes.

The black death arrived in Europe in October of 1347. It was brought by twelve Genoese trading ships that docked at the Sicilian port of Messina after a lengthy expedition through the Black Sea. The people that were gathered on the docks to meet the twelve ships were greeted with a terrifying surprise: the majority of the sailors that were on they ship were dead, and the ones that were still alive were somberly ill. They had fevers, were unable to hold down food, and were delirious from pain. They were covered with big black boils that oozed pus and blood. The illness was named the “Black Death” because of the black boils.

During the time period between 600 and 1750, economic and social continuities and changes impacted Western Europe immensely. One particular economic alteration was the decline of feudal manoralism, prevalent in the early medieval era, as a result of the restoration of commerce following the Crusades. Another major change was the socioeconomic impact of the Age of Exploration circa 1500, which would establish European Hegemony. While economic transforma-tions occurred throughout Western Europe, the influence of the Roman Catholic Church was

The Black Death of the mid-fourteenth century will have the greatest impact on the 16th and 17th centuries. The plague caused the European population the drop by 25 to 50 percent, induced movements and many revolts, and prompted changes in urban life. The European population dropped by 25 to 50 percent between 1347 and 1351. So, if the European population was 75 million, this would mean the 18.75 to 37.5 million people died in four years. There were also major outbreaks that lasted many years until the end of the 15th century. Mortality figures were incredibly high. As a result, the European population did not begin to recover until the 16th century. It took many generations after that to achieve thirteenth-century levels. The plague induced movements and many revolts in Europe.

The coming of the modern age in Europe began in the sixteenth century. However, the strongest push came in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Ideas and innovations would come at a high rate during these times. What was once considered a normal excuse or answer was now into question. The seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are the reasons for so much change in Europe.

The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries were a particularly dreadful time in Europe. The fourteenth century was so bad it is regularly referred to as the calamitous century. During this timeframe the Hundred Years War between France and England occurred. Additionally, there were major upheavals in the power and structure of the Catholic Church. Finally, the Black Death wiped out an estimated one-third of the population of Western Europe. This Black Death or Bubonic Plague was the primary cause of the massive economic and social changes in Europe during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. The sheer number of deaths attributed to the plague led to a series of other unfortunate events such as famine and war that compounded the problems and led to the calamity. The Black Death was so well known that it shaped basically all vestiges of art and literature from this timeframe.

The Renaissance was a rebirth of Europe during the 1400s. It was a time period that came after the Middle Ages, and people started thinking differently than how they were thinking during the Middle Ages. The Bubonic Plague made many people question their lives and also the churches and their religions which were a big part of life during the Middle Ages. Instead, during the Renaissance many ideas were taken from the ancient Greeks and Romans, the laws on paintings became much more relaxed leading too many artists creating detailed paintings, the printing press was created which made the creation of books faster and increased quantity, and people became more educated in history, reading and writing. Many of these changes such as education greatly

During Europe’s boom in trade more advanced ways of cargo shipping and sea travel were developed, but with this advancement also came the transport of disease. The most deadly of these new diseases was the well-known Black Death, which starting in 1347 took its toll on Western Europe. Throughout history, when faced with hard times, the true side of humanity can be seen; during these times humanity often reverts back to their roots whether those be the barbaric or the amiable. During the Black Death civilizations did just that; the chaos stricken communities of Europe responded in various ways some more righteous and beneficial, and others negative and barbaric.

The fourteenth century was an important turning point of European history, not only did a natural disaster ravaged Europe, but it also marked the beginning of the cultural and political rebirth, which is known as the Renaissance. During this medieval period, the Mongol invasion of Europe brought the Black Death pandemic to Europe and led a large-scale deterioration on its population, culture, and society. The increasing trade with non-Europeans later brought the opportunity and introduction of capitalism through increasing trade networks and connections. The increasing trade networks also helped contribute to the Renaissance.

In Europe in the times of the 14th-17th century an age of renaissance was taking place. It was a time of secularism, , as well as a time of change for Europe. Martin Luther caused many changes in 17th century europe. These changes involving the power of the church, the uprise of peasants, and the decrease in the secular nature of the church. Yet some factors still stayed the same.

In the 1300s, Europe was thriving with new innovations and huge cities that covered the country. Most of Europe was urban and very crowd with a population of 50,000 (“Middle Ages”). The 1300s was a period known as the Middle Ages, which represents the time where the Roman Empire and the Constantinople fell. During this time around 1350, infectious disease was spreading through the streets of Europe. Approximately, 20 million people died in Europe from the plague, which is roughly around one-third of the population (“Black Plague”). The Black Plague affected European civilization and how European society viewed the world. The renaissance is a prime example of how the Black Plague affected Europe. The Black Plague helped influence people

Western European people had endured a series of changes during the late medieval period. Changes can be categorized into two aspects: politically and socially. On politics, Popes were not as strong as they were due to conflicts between the state and the church. Socially, people began to live a religion- dominated life, and experienced active sexism towards women. These changes, either positive or negative, have become an undivided part of European History.