Impact of the Black Plague

Huge Population losses 

  • 25 million Europeanskilled  
  • 35 Million Chinese killed

Economic 

  • Town populations declined 
  • Dramatic decrease in trade
  • Prices increased
  • Large death rate decreased the number of available workers
  • Farm production declined
  • Allowed remaining workers to demand higher wages
  • Nobles resisted which led to peasant revolts
  • Many serfs left the manors for better jobs in the cities
  • Led to the end of the manorial system

Social & Political Impact of the Plague

  • Feudalism declined  as peasant revolts weakened the power of landowners over peasants
  • Monarchs gained more power and  began to build powerful nations
  • Led people to question  their religious faith and the Church
    – Seemed powerless to stop the plague 
    – Some clergy fled towns and others charged high prices to perform services for
    dying victims

 

 

Cultural 

  • Images of death appear frequently in the  art and literature of the time period

  • Some people became pessimistic about life and feared the future.
    – “Happy are those that have no children”
  • Other people became preoccupied with pleasure and self indulgence.
    – “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you die”

Here is a summary of the impact