Everything Everywhere Daily The Black Death (Encore)
Jan 6, 2025
Explore the harrowing spread of the Black Death in the 14th century, a plague that decimated populations across continents. Discover its profound impact on social classes and the drastic changes in societies that followed. Learn about the origins, rapid transmission by traders, and staggering death toll. Delve into misconceptions about the disease and examine how it reshaped burial practices and socio-economic structures. Uncover the lasting effects of this epidemic on modern disease management and society.
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Bubonic Plague
- The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic from 1346-1353, caused by Yersinia pestis bacteria.
- Bubonic plague has a 30-90% mortality rate, significantly higher than other pandemics.
Plague Origins and Spread
- The plague's origin is uncertain, possibly the Asian steppes or China, spreading via trade routes and ships.
- Rats on ships facilitated faster transmission than typical flea-borne spread.
First European Case
- The first European case likely came from Genoese traders in Kaffa, Crimea, under siege by Mongols.
- Mongols catapulted plague-ridden corpses, spreading the disease; Genoese fled, carrying the plague to Constantinople.