The Black Plague

Early in the 1330s, an outbreak of deadly bubonic plague occurred in China. The bubonic plague mainly affects rodents, but fleas can transmit the disease to people. Once people are infected, they infect others very fast. The plague causes fever and a painful swelling of the lymph glands. The glandes are called buboes. This is how the plague got its name. The disease also causes spots on the skin that are red at first and then turn black. With China being one of the busiest of the world's trading nations, it was only a matter of time before the outbreak of plague in China spread to western Asia and Europe. In October of 1347, several Italian merchant ships returned from a trip to the Black Sea. The Black Sea was one of the main sea routes with China. When the ships docked in Sicily, many of those on board were already dying of plague. Within days, the plague had spread to the city and the countryside. Between 1347 and 1352, over 25 million people died in under five years. It is believed to have wiped out two thirds of the population. The plague was a hard blow to the population also it affected the everyday lives of the people. It especially affected the Roman Catholic Church and influenced people to live in the moment which caused havoc. The black plague was one of the biggest epidemics in human history.