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Essay / Positive and Negative Outcomes of the Black Death
The Black Death, perhaps one of the worst epidemics in history, swept across Europe in the mid-14th century, killing an estimated 20 million people. This major population shift, along with other disasters occurring at the time, such as famine and an already existing economic recession, plunged Europe into a dark period of total upheaval. Anarchy, psychological breakdowns, and the dissipation of Church power were some of them. However, over time, the company managed to find new ground and begin its long road to recovery. The plague, as catastrophic as it was for medieval Europe, had as many positive effects with this revival as it had negative effects before. The end of feudalism, rising wages and innovation, the idea of separation of church and state, and attention to hygiene and medicine are just some of the things positive ones that followed the plague. It could also be argued that the plague had a significant impact on the start of the Renaissance. One of the most important results of the Black Death was the end of feudalism. The workforce was so low that workers could refuse to work, demand wages, and aristocrats had no choice but to listen. Peasant revolts in France and England also played an important role in the end of feudalism. The French government, in an attempt to pay England a ransom for the return of its king, increased tax rates on French residents. Peasants at the time felt the government was weak and increased taxes infuriated them, leading to a rebellion known as the Jacquerie. Similar events occurred in England a generation later. In 1381, peasants rebelled against high tax rates and wage freezes by marching on London and...... middle of paper ...... armacology became a practice and l routine medical experimentation. Inspired by the printing press, medical books began to be written. The years following the plague gave way to modern medicine. It cannot be said that the Black Death damaged all aspects of European communities. It was a powerful epidemic that wiped out a third of the continent's population. However, amidst all this terror, positive effects have emerged. Some of these effects included revolutions in church and society, ultimately leading to the separation of church and state. Feudalism was also challenged when peasants demanded wages and revolted. Social changes were accompanied by technological innovations, new inventions, attention to hygiene and the beginning of modern medicine. The plague may have devastated Europe, but it also ushered in a new era.