Question 2 The Plague



Question 2.
There have been many epidemics in the past, some of which were so widespread that they could be called pandemics.
The plague begin in China in 1331, by 1347 it had affected Europe and the Middle East.  In the first wave of infection in Europe it was thought that half of Europe’s population died. The mortality rate of the infection was as high as 90%. There is no immunity to the plague, and even today the mortality rate is 11%. The plague had some important consequences. The Mongol Empire and Its Silk Road trade suffered enormously and lead to the end of the Mongol Empire.






In Europe the loss of the population was so severe that workers demanded higher wages which led to social tension and may have played a role in several peasant revolts. The devastation of the Mongol Empire led to an increase in European sea traffic, trade, and exploration.  
Another great epidemic was the Great Dying. When the Spanish conquered MesoAmerica and the great indigenous empires of South America, the indidgenous population came in contact with infectious diseases to which they had no immunity. Native Americans died in great numbers when they were exposed to European infectious diseases such as smallpox and measles, to which they had had no exposure and no native immunity. As many as 90% of the native population perished from these infectious diseases. Central Mexico had 10-20 million people early in the 16th century when the Spaniards came, but by 1650 there were only 1 million. This also happened in the Dutch and British areas of North America.




References:
(Strayer Page 483 to 485)

 (Strayer Page 558-559)

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/comparing-covid-19-with-previous-pandemics#The-Black-Death


Pictures:
https://slideplayer.com/slide/15674778/





Comments

  1. LeslieJuly 5, 2020 at 9:14 PM

    It's really crazy to think of how the plagues of the past affected people. I live in an area where the population considers the response to the pandemic political. As a result we will soon be required to rollback into earlier phases of the social restrictions and closures. At least now we have an understanding of how this virus works. It must have been very scary to experience a pandemic in a time with a very limited body of scientific knowledge.

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