thesis statement for the black death

The Black Death Disease’ History Research Paper

The Black Death is known as one of the most horrible and destructive pandemics that hit the medieval world. The demise was amongst the past unforgettable incidences reported in Europe. It struck in Europe between the years 1348 and 1351. The disease was believed to be a Bubonic plague brought by a lethal bacterium called Pestis Yersinia. Medical archivists and historians believed that the plague originated from China and moved to Crimea in 1346 via the Silk Road. The disease is also believed to have come to Europe from the black mice that were often seen on the merchants’ boats.

Mice had parasites that transmitted and caused the sickness that led to deaths. It killed 40% of the European population thus reducing the world’s population to around 350 million from 450 million in the year 1400 (Alchin par. 1). The Black Death resulted in economic, political, social and religious problems in the European history. Historians think that Europe had to take about 150 years to recover from the Black Death’s severe impacts.

The Black Death came when people were very vulnerable. The physicians could not treat infectious diseases. People were weak due to wars and crop failures. The busy trade routes spread the disease fast enough. The Black Death’s first outbreak was in China in 1328. In a period of fifty years, the disease reduced the number of Chinese to ninety million from the initial figure of 125.0 million. Approximately 7500 victims died each day (Byrne 52). It is believed to have its origin from the Gobi Desert and followed the trade routes to various countries.

The disease appeared to be on the lowest part of Tributary Volga in the fiscal 1345, continued to Caucasus and Crimea in 1346, and Constantinople in 1347. However, the disease arrived at the Egyptians land (Alexandria) in the financial year 1347.

The death invaded the Englishmen from the financial year 1348 to 1350 when Emperor Edward 3 was reigning. The disease was reported in June, and it killed Englishmen until the last case was reported in August. When death cases increased, Bristol city appeared to be essential as the only seaport that served Europe in that period. It is believed that this was the starting point for the Black Death in England (“The Black Death of 1348 to 1350” par. 2).

In the United Kingdom, the disease was first reported in 1348 (November). It flourished in London due to the city’s filthy sanitation, congestion, and spread fast since mice loved dirt and had the disease. The Black Death arrived in the UK via water vessels that sailed through Thames Stream and invaded the whole UK. As a result, 20,000.0 demises were reported in the UK by churches (Alchin par. 4). Many people ended up being buried in communal pits.

The most vulnerable were the elderly, poor and children. The disease was reported in the Norwegian land in 1349 (May) when a boat that transported angora from England arrived at the port. All travelers and boat crews were reported dead days later. The Scots invaded the northern part of England with the thought that the Englishmen were being punished. The army carried the plague to Scotland in 1950. The disease moved as far as Iceland and Greenland.

The phrase black was used to refer to the disease given that it was terrible. In fact, the demise was also named black since its signs on the membrane darkened near the inflammations. People suffering from the disease had thick black plasma, which produced bad smell. The Black Death’s signs were terrible and started once one was infected. The inflammations were on the neckline, armpit, forelegs or groins. The irritations were known as buboes. The bubo initially started by being reddish in pigment then eventually turned dark. The other symptoms were delirium, mental disorder, muscular pains, high fever, bleeding lungs, and vomiting.

The victim also had a strong desire to sleep, but the resultant effects were fatal. The victims only lived from two to four days (“The Black Death of 1348 to 1350” par. 5). The disease killed its victim quickly and was difficult to treat, as no one knew what had caused it. In fact, the disease did not have a known cure, and just concoctions were given to the victims to reduce the symptoms.

For instance, flowers, tree barks, and lavender were used to relieve headaches while nausea’s treatment was mint, wormwood, and balm. A washing detergent known as Vinegar that was assumed to eradicate the malady was used to stop the spread of this disease.

The Black Death was important in England’s history. It caused many deaths and in some areas, everybody died. For example, in the Durham District, all the inhabitants were found dead. The death toll in monasteries was the highest given that the monks lived together. High value was placed on labor due to the population drop. In 1381, the Peasants Revolt began thus ending the Feudal System (Ziegler 33).

The wool industry did well as farming took a new direction. Most of the farming lands were turned into pastoral fields that did not require labor. The Black Death caused various migrations of peasants to towns. Church power and influence declined since people had lost faith in the church.

The rate of death was high that not everyone could be given the last rights to confess his or her sins. They ended up being allowed to confess to anyone that could listen. People thought this was God’s punishment though the church had no answer to offer to his congregation (Byrne 67). Thus, the disease made people to start doubting religion and the situation brought about English Reformation

. The cause of the Black Death was unknown. Individuals assumed that the disease was caused by air freed from volcanic activities. Others believed that the Jews caused the disease to get rid of Christians. However, the plague affected everyone including the Jews. Many Jews were killed and expelled. The Jews in Germany were told to change their religion to Christianity or burned.

The Dark Demise invaded European countries often during the fifteenth century. However, the disease was hardly deadly compared to the first time it appeared (Alchin par. 3). Another plague hit the Chinese and Indians in 1890 and spread to the United States. At this point, the cause and cure of the Black Death were discovered.

Even though life in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries was uncivilized, the mortality rate during the Black Disease could not be compared to those normal days without the disease. For example, in the early fourteenth century, unfavorable weather caused wheat failures in Europe leading to famine ((Ziegler 37). The mortality rate during this period reached 10%, but it was only in some areas.

The Black Death is today known as the Bubonic Plague, which only affects a few people. The victims do not die since it is treatable in the modern times. The disease influenced Europe and most of the things that happened in the centuries that followed had their origin in the Black Death. The disease left a lasting mark on Europe and the entire world. Eventually, Europe recovered from the negative impacts with its population growing and economy improving.

Works Cited

Ziegler, Philip. The Black Death, London, UK: Faber & Faber, 2013. Print.

Byrne, Joseph. The Black Death , Portsmouth, NH: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2004. Print.

Alchin, Linda 2014, Black Death . Web.

The Black Death of 1348 to 1350 . Web.

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IvyPanda. (2020, May 2). The Black Death Disease' History. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-black-death-disease-history/

"The Black Death Disease' History." IvyPanda , 2 May 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/the-black-death-disease-history/.

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IvyPanda . 2020. "The Black Death Disease' History." May 2, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-black-death-disease-history/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Black Death Disease' History." May 2, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-black-death-disease-history/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Black Death Disease' History." May 2, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-black-death-disease-history/.

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Writing Prompts about Black Death

• 🗃️ Essay topics
• ❓ Research questions
• 📝 Topic sentences
• 🪝 Essay hooks
• 📑 Thesis statements
• 🔀 Hypothesis examples
• 🧐 Personal statements

🔗 References

🗃️ black death essay topics.

• The impact of the Black Death on medieval european society.
• Comparing the Black Death and COVID-19.
• Exploring the causes and origins of the Black Death pandemic.
• The role of trade and globalization in spreading the Black Death.
• The Black Death’s effect on religious beliefs and practices.
• Social and economic consequences of the Black Death.
• Medical knowledge and responses to the Black Death in the middle ages.
• The Black Death’s influence on art and literature.
• Black Death and the decline of feudalism.
• Women’s role and experiences during the Black Death.
• “The plague” by Albert Camus: the basic existential principles.
• The Black Death’s impact on labor and workforce dynamics.
• Quarantine measures and public health responses to the Black Death.
• The Black Death’s effects on urbanization and demographic shifts.
• Cultural and psychological trauma caused by the Black Death.
• Black Death’s influence on architecture and urban planning.
• Comparing different strains of the Black Death.
• The Black Death’s influence on political structures and governance.
• Trade and commerce recovery after the Black Death.
• The spread of Black Death in non-european regions.
• Black Death and its impact on education and intellectual history.

❓ Research Questions about Black Death

• What were the primary causes and origins of the Black Death pandemic?
• How did the Black Death impact the social structure and hierarchy of medieval European society?
• What were the different strains of the Black Death (bubonic, pneumonic, septicemic)?
• How did trade and globalization facilitate the spread of the Black Death across different regions?
• What were the major medical responses and treatments employed during the Black Death?
• What were the religious beliefs and practices during the Black Death?
• How did the Black Death affect urbanization patterns and population distribution in medieval Europe?
• What were the long-term economic consequences of the Black Death on European societies?
• How did different cultures and regions outside of Europe experience and respond to the Black Death?
• How did the Black Death influence political structures, governance, and leadership during the crisis?
• How did the Black Death affect women’s roles and experiences in medieval society?
• What were the major misconceptions and theories surrounding the cause and spread of the Black Death?
• How did the Black Death impact agriculture, food production, and food availability?
• What lessons can be learned from the Black Death that are applicable to modern epidemiology and public health?
• What were the educational and intellectual responses to the Black Death?

📝 Topic Sentences on Black Death

• The Black Death, a devastating pandemic that struck Europe in the 14th century, profoundly altered the social fabric of medieval society, leading to significant shifts in power dynamics and economic structures.
• Examining the transmission and mortality rates of different strains of the Black Death, such as bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic, provides crucial insights into the varied and complex nature of this historic plague.
• The Black Death’s impact on art and literature during the Middle Ages reflects a powerful expression of human suffering, mortality, and religious beliefs, leaving a lasting cultural legacy that continues to resonate in modern times.

🪝 Top Hooks for Black Death Paper

📍 definition hooks on black death for essay.

• Black Death, also known as the Bubonic Plague, was a catastrophic pandemic that ravaged Europe during the 14th century. This deadly disease, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, decimated populations, leaving a lasting impact on society, culture, and public health.
• The Black Death, an infamous historical catastrophe, was a devastating pandemic that swept through Europe during the 14th century. This deadly plague, caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium, caused immense suffering, leaving an indelible mark on the course of human history.

📍 Statistical Hooks for Essay on Black Death

• During the Black Death, the mortality rates reached staggering heights, with estimates suggesting that between 75 to 200 million lives were claimed in Europe alone. This harrowing statistical data underscores the magnitude of the deadliest pandemic in recorded history.
• The Black Death, an unprecedented catastrophe, unleashed its deadly grip across Europe, resulting in a staggering death toll of approximately 30-60% of the continent’s population. These alarming statistics illustrate the sheer devastation and magnitude of this historic pandemic.

📍 Question Hooks about Black Death for Essay

• What were the devastating consequences of medieval the Black Death pandemic, and how did it reshape societies, ignite cultural transformations, and leave an indelible mark on the course of human history?
• How did the merciless outbreak of the Black Death in the Middle Ages forever alter demographics, economics, and medicine, leaving an enduring impact on civilization and shaping the world we know today?

📍 Quotation Hooks on Black Death

• “In the midst of darkness and despair, the Black Death emerged as a relentless force, ‘ringing the knell of universal destruction,’ leaving behind a trail of devastation and sorrow that echoed through the annals of time.” – Giovanni Boccaccio, “The Decameron”.
• “Amidst the haunting silence, the Black Death unleashed its relentless fury, ‘Death came into our midst like black smoke, a plague which carried off to the next world the majority of a city’s inhabitants.'” – Ibn al-Wardi, 14th-century historian.

📑 Best Black Death Thesis Statements

✔️ argumentative thesis about black death.

• The Black Death’s devastating impact on medieval Europe serves as a historical cautionary tale, illustrating the importance of public health measures, swift responses to pandemics, and the necessity of preserving knowledge to combat future global health crises.
• The Black Death’s cataclysmic effects on medieval society, including significant demographic shifts, economic transformations, and religious upheaval, underscore its pivotal role in reshaping the course of history and serve as a critical reminder of the importance of disease prevention and preparedness.

✔️ Analytical Thesis Samples about Black Death

• By analyzing the multifaceted causes and far-reaching consequences of the Black Death on medieval Europe, this study aims to shed light on the complex interplay between disease, society, and culture, unraveling the profound and lasting impact of this devastating pandemic.
• Through a comprehensive examination of the Black Death’s origins, transmission, and impact on various aspects of medieval society, this analysis seeks to deepen our understanding of the plague’s role in shaping historical, social, and economic developments during that tumultuous period.

✔️ Informative Thesis Examples on Black Death

• The Black Death, a medieval pandemic caused by the bubonic plague, struck Europe with unparalleled ferocity, decimating populations and altering societal structures. This informative study explores its origins, transmission, and far-reaching consequences on medieval civilization and beyond.
• The Black Death, an infamous plague of the 14th century, had a profound and lasting impact on European society, reshaping demographics, economy, and cultural perceptions. This informative analysis delves into the origins, spread, and far-reaching consequences of this devastating pandemic.

🔀 Black Death Hypothesis Examples

• The Black Death had a significant impact on the decline of feudalism and the rise of the Renaissance in Europe.
• The Black Death altered the dynamics of labor and led to economic changes, ultimately contributing to the transformation of medieval society.

🔂 Null & Alternative Hypothesis on Black Death

• Null hypothesis: The Black Death did not have a significant impact on European society and its historical development.
• Alternative hypothesis: The Black Death had a profound and transformative effect on European society, leading to demographic shifts, economic changes, and the restructuring of social and cultural norms.

🧐 Examples of Personal Statement about Black Death

• As a history enthusiast, the Black Death has always captivated my curiosity and imagination. Learning about this devastating pandemic that swept through medieval Europe has shown me the immense power of historical events in shaping societies. The Black Death serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of human existence and the resilience of human spirit in the face of unimaginable hardships. Studying the Black Death has also given me a deeper appreciation for the importance of public health and the impact of disease outbreaks on communities.
• The Black Death, a harrowing chapter in history, has always fascinated me as a student of the past. Exploring the devastating impact of this medieval pandemic on European society has sparked my passion for understanding how historical events shape the world we live in today. The Black Death serves as a stark reminder of the resilience of humanity and the profound importance of public health. Witnessing how this catastrophic outbreak reshaped communities and economies, I am driven to pursue a career in public health, dedicating myself to preventing and managing infectious diseases in modern times.
• The Black Death And The Future Of Medicine
• Insufficient evidence for natural selection associated with the Black Death
• The Black Death and its effect on fourteenth- and fifteenthcentury art
• The Economic Impact of the Black Death
• Pandemics and Cities: Evidence from the Black Death and the Long-Run

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The Black Death and Its Impact on the Church and Popular Religion

Zentner, McLaurine H. (2015) The Black Death and Its Impact on the Church and Popular Religion. Undergraduate thesis, under the direction of Jeffrey Watt from History, The University of Mississippi.

This thesis concerns the religious impact of the Black Death, the plague that devastated Europe during the middle of the fourteenth century. It explores the effect of the Black Death on the Catholic Church and the religious movements that emerged in response to it. The conclusions drawn here are based on the research of both primary and secondary sources. The Church played a significant role during the Middle Ages because religion was an important aspect of daily life for European Christians. When the Black Death struck Europe in 1347, the Church struggled to cope with the plague’s damaging consequences and its reputation suffered as a result. This thesis concludes that the Black Death contributed to the decline in the confidence and faith of the Christian laity towards the institution of the Church and its leadership. The scope of this paper focuses on the plague’s impact on the clergy, the rise of the flagellant movement, and the widespread Jewish persecutions that ensued in the wake of the plague. The Black Death was a significant event in the history of Western society with profound cultural and demographic consequences, and its impact on the Church and religion in medieval society justifies the study of this topic.

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The Black Death and the Effects on Society

Explore the impact of the Black Death on medieval European society. Discuss the plague’s effects on population, economy, social structure, religion, and art. Analyze how it led to significant social and cultural changes, including the weakening of feudalism and the shift towards the Renaissance. You can also find more related free essay samples at PapersOwl about Black Death.

How it works

• 1 Introduction
• 2.1 The Changes brought upon
• 3 The Catholic Church
• 4 Conclusion

Introduction

The focus of my essay is on the Bubonic Plague also known as the Black Death that struck Europe in 1348, and its many effects on the daily lives of the people. Specifically understanding how the churches came to lose their influence over the European people due to the epidemic and the medical advances that came from this. It is interesting to see how drastically the people’s beliefs changed from something that they so deeply believed in, and to see the many effects that were caused by the Black Death.

The Black Death brought many consequences to the people’s daily lives and brought many changes which will be analyzed in this essay. I hope to learn the kinds of effects that were brought upon by the Black Death and the modern medical changes that came of this. Analyzing how this devastating global epidemic came to be is important to understand and be aware that it not only brought death to people, but changes were also made because of this. In this essay, I will be exploring some of the changes that came from the Black Death which are identified as either positive or negative, and I will be analyzing thoroughly.

The positive changes being that it improved European society specifically their standards of living, and the advancements that were made in both technology and medicine. The negative changes were depopulation, shortage of labor, and the disrupted customs of daily life. By exploring these changes, I will be determining whether most of the changes that were brought upon by the Black Death were short term or long term in the way that technology was made to improve medicine. A long-term effect would be the living conditions, trading opportunities, and education that came after the Bubonic Plague that brought negative consequences in the long run.

Some of the short-term effects would be that most of the population died, there was famine, and the fear of death that struck people as the Black Death was happening rather than in the distant future which is what a long term effect would be. It is interesting to see how the Black Death brought many developments towards the future that may have improved the lives of the European people, as well as having changed their lifestyles. The spread of the Black Death brought consequences and huge impacts in areas such as cultural, religious, and economic influences. The sources I will be using are secondary sources such as academically high level books, and history books. In addition, I will be using primary sources such as a chronicle written in 1314 at the cathedral, and some writers wrote accounts such as documents. Furthermore, I will ultimately be analyzing the separation between state and church as Europeans began to become secular and the medical technologies that improved due to the faith that was lost in the churches, and whether this was ultimately caused by the Black Death.

The Start of The Black Death

The Black Death came to Europe in 1348 greatly causing many changes ever since. It struck both in Asia and Europe when 12 ships from the Black Sea docked at the Sicilian port of Messina. After this first encounter, it eventually came to be known as the Black Death or even the Bubonic Plague. In Europe there occurred about 20 million deaths (?) of Europe’s population was deceased. According to historian William H. McNeal, the arrival of the Black Death lasted for several years and shifted from town to town or region to region with the seasons. Long before the Black Death even came to Europe ‘people had heard rumors about a “Great Pestilence” that was a deadly path across the trade routes of the Near and Far East.’ People knew that there was a deadly epidemic that was spreading around but they never could have imagined how deadly it truly was. The Black Death is thought to have come from a ‘population of black rats of the kind whose fleas were liable to carry bubonic plague to humans’ and it is still today being questioned how this disease came to truly be. In which at the time people were not sure how the Black Death was spreading so rapidly, it was assumed that humans were the ones spreading the disease.

This caused many people to become paranoid because one day a person could be healthy and the next day they could be dying from the plague. They ultimately thought that the disease was spread through others coughs and sneezes, while some thought that it could be getting transferred by something in the air. This installed a huge fear of death because in the end nobody was sure how people were truly becoming infected with the plague. The plague was hitting people hard and quickly. ‘People lay ill a little more than two or three days and then died suddenly. He who was well one day was dead the next and being carried to his grave,” writes the Carmelite friar Jean de Venette in his 14th century French chronicle. The symptoms that came with the Bubonic Plague were very deadly such as ‘fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, terrible aches and pains – and then, in short order, death.’

It was later concluded but still being questioned that the Bubonic Plague was a disease caused by the bacterium in Yersinia pestis coming from rats who become infected and lived close to people. Before the Black Death occurred in Europe the daily lives of the people were under the influence of the Catholic church. The churches held an important role as they were an influence to the people in knowing what was right and what was wrong, making the church an important aspect in the daily lives of the Europeans. This was such a devastating phenomenon that brought upon many modifications to the people’s daily lives, the towns, and the medical technological advances that also came from this epidemic. The Black Death showed that the medical system in Europe was flawed as the doctors were not able to treat the disease that was affecting people. The changes that were brought upon by the Bubonic Plague may not have happened without it.

The Changes brought upon

The Bubonic Plague brought many changes to the Europeans as well as other parts of the world where the outbreak had occurred. The changes that came with the plague were either positive or negative and changed the way society came to be. According to historian, William H. McNeal ‘human populations adjusted to confluence of the various infectious diseases in earlier times that were developed differently in different parts of Eurasia and Africa.’ People had to learn to adjust to the new ways of life after the outbreak that came from the Black Death since so many changes needed to be addressed. The plague caused many people to fear for their lives because it was ‘an unfamiliar infection that attacked a population for the first time who had never been expunged from European memory.’ The Bubonic Plague was usually not completely gone because it would at times return to places that had already been previously affected, but most of the people were already immune to it so it wouldn’t come to be of an affect to them as much as it had been in the past.

People were becoming susceptible to the plague. There was a 60% decline in Europe’s population, which in turn affected agricultural prices because of the low demand that was coming from it. Another problem that was encountered was that there was a shortage of labors, causing the system of serfdom to end. The wages improved although the prices for food and goods fell. Since there was a small population of workers it gave them more opportunities to be more free and choose a job that they preferred. The Black Death set the stage in helping improve towards modern medicine and made changes to the public’s health. There was a greater emphasis on medicine that was based on science rather than their own faith and intuition. The medieval medicine in Europe slowly took a turn towards modern medicine as the doctors noted that they were not able to help treat the plague. The plague came to the Europeans as a realization that they were behind in there modern technology/medicine due to the lack of help they were able to provide. As the church was becoming less influential in the daily lives of Europeans they began to question their faith and looked for a reason as to why so many people were dying.The Black Death also drove a development in a much higher education than there was before. Without the Black Death, many of the substantial changes that occurred may not have happened this early on.

The Catholic Church

The Bubonic Plague had a huge impact on the way the Catholic Church ran. Before the Black Death hit Europe, the church’s power had been absolute, it was basically it’s own government that was ruling over the European people. It was a religion and a mindset that had been in all of the Europeans heart. The church would massacre people who chose to oppose them in any way and drove them away from their society. There were times when the secular state would try to assert their control from the churches power, but the churches were much more powerful and influential. Before the Black Death happened in Europe, the churches had been the center of influence for the people. Europeans believed that ‘these hospitals took more care of one’s soul than one’s body, since disease and sickness were regarded as punishments for sins.’ This shows that everything was centered around the Church, it was something that was so significant to them that they did not feel the need to believe in medicine but rather rely on their faith. When the Bubonic Plague first hit Europe, the churches ‘explained that the plague had been God who was punishing the sins of the people. The church had called for people to pray, and it even organized religious marches, pleading to God to stop the “pestilence.”

Even before the Plague had made it’s huge impact on the Europeans they still prayed and believed that God could treat their sickness during the medieval medicine time period. According to William H. McNeal, God had shown himself on their side, and each new outbreak of the infectious disease that had been imported from Europe. So at this point, Europeans believed that God would be their savior, they did not rely on any medical assistance but prayed to God that they will be saved. As the Bubonic Plague became worse, and affected many Europeans they began to question their own faith. Nobody was entirely sure how anybody was becoming ill so they came up with their own conclusions. Such as the Jews being responsible for the plague in an attempt to kill Christians and dominate the world, which set off a conflict between Jews and Christians. Pope Clement VI was the fourth pope to reside in Avignon, during the Black Death and survived the worst disease to happen in Europe. According to History and Culture, ‘He also offered protection to the Jews when many were persecuted under suspicion of starting the pestilence.’ Pope Clement VI announced a religious order to stop the brutality against the Jews, because he believed that they were not responsible for the plague but it was God who was striking at Christian’s for their sins. As the Christians started to calm their anger towards the Jews, they ended up turning their anger towards the Catholic Church that did not seem to be helpful in curing the Black Death. Since the Church was not able to save the people from the disease, it lead to many Europeans to question their beliefs.

During this time period people did not necessarily believe in doctors or science, leading them to deeply believe that God could save them but since people were not being saved from the disease it lead to many Europeans to question their beliefs. They began to believe that the plague had been a punishment from God. Flagellation, is an “act of self-mutilation in which a person would beat/hurt themselves in order to make amends for their sins.” They would ‘each whip themselves which consisted of a stick with three knotted thongs hanging from the end. Two pieces of needle-sharp metal were run through the center of the knots from both sides, forming a cross, the end of which extended beyond the knots for the length of a grain of wheat or less. Using these whips, they beat and whipped their bare skin until their bodies were bruised and swollen and blood rained down, spattering the walls nearby. I have seen, when they whipped themselves, how sometimes those bits of metal penetrated the skin so deeply that it took more than two attempts to pull them out.’

They would do this until one of them fell to the ground even then they would still continue and keep going the next day. In October 1349 Pope Clement VI announced publicly that the Flagellants were not supporting the regulations and principles of the Church. They were excluding people from being involved in the sacraments and services of the Church. By the following years the Flagellant Movement began to disappear. Not only during the Black Death was there a rise in the Flagellant Movement but there was also a widespread persecution of Jews. Referring back to my question whether the churches lost their influence over the people due to the Black Death, I would agree with this. People began to believe many different things when they were hit with this epidemic, that destroyed most of its civilization. Their views began to change over time because they started to realize that praying was not doing much in stopping the Bubonic Plague which led to the creation of modern medicine. The plague left many damaging consequences and left the churches reputation to suffer as well. As Europeans began to calm down and stop blaming the Jews, they turned their anger towards the Catholic Church who seemed to not be helping out in stopping the Bubonic Plague.

The Bubonic Plague resulted in many local priest’s death or the abandonment of their parishes when the plague struck. Leading to the Flagellant Movement being a direct provocation to challenge the Catholic Churches dominance. Due to many people believed that the plague was a punishment from god they began to doubt their faith and question god as to why he would treat them in such a cruel way. Many could not commit to the church anymore because of that reason and decided to leave the church. The destruction that came from the Bubonic Plague was the loss of clergymen, who had often devoted their entire lives to doing work for god and had to be replaced by less experienced men. Some problems that they faced with these less experienced men is that they were corrupt and abused their power in order to have authority over the people. During the mid-fourteenth century the Jewish massacre arose because they were accused of poisoning town wells. The pogroms had a desire to kill the Jews even in some cases they would burn their homes and murder them in really awful ways. In one occasion 900 Jews were locked up and burned alive, this showing how paranoid the people were during the plague. And the Flagellant Movement which arose because of the Europeans who wanted to get rid of their sins and believed that self-mutilation was the answer considering that the church was not helpful.

The aim of this essay is to analyze the way in which the Black Death made its impact on the European people’s beliefs and how that affected the Catholic Church causing there to be a transition from medieval medicine to modern medicine. Having observed the ways in which the Black Death came to Europe and the power that the Church had before and after the Plague, as well as the history behind it, we can finally come to a reasoning as to the significance the church had over the people. As it has been revealed, the Bubonic Plague came to Europe and made its impact on humans in many ways specifically in the way the church was viewed afterwards and the shift of medicine. As the Europeans were very supportive of the churches considering they had a huge influence over them, they began to realize that they were actually no help when it came to the Bubonic Plague thus turning to their own conclusions as to what was spreading the Black Death. People began to believe that it was the Jews who wanted to kill the Christians, leading to a massacre of Jews. When it was proclaimed to stop the violence against them they turned their hate towards the church, which lead to the Flagellant Movement.

The Bubonic Plague changed the view of the churches as they used to dominate the Europeans and were now being challenged. On the other hand, the Black Death may have brought positive changes to the people it also leads to a new way of life. The church was the center of people’s daily lives, people did not really believe in medicine and doctors but in god and praying. The black death brought a change to that as people realized that the church was not helping. The clergymen who were devoted to god began to die and people were scared because they could ultimately also die considering that god seemed to not be helping them out. In the same way, the church attempted to regain their power back and integrate themselves as the center of the daily lives of the people. But it was much too late Europeans were finding other ways to pay for their sins such as flagellation. The Bubonic Plague changed the way that people viewed the church as it became less influential in the daily lives of the people. In the end, there was a separation between state and church as people stopped putting their faith out in god’s hand and came up with their own conclusions as to what is causing the plague. They began to move into a more secular state as it was noticed that the Bubonic plague was not only killing peasants and people of lower classes but also clergymen and men of religion. If it were not for the bubonic plague, the church may have still been dominant and been the center of the daily lives of people. 

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The Black Death and Englishness

• First Online: 12 December 2021

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• Ben Dodds 2  

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Early scholarly work carried out on the Black Death in the nineteenth and early twentieth century emphasized the role of the pandemic in social and religious change in English history. This historical work was integrated into broader narratives connecting the distant past with conflicting ideas of English identity. The origins and development of Black Death myths associated with Englishness in the work of scholars including J. R. Green, Francis Aidan Gasquet and Hilaire Belloc are explored in this chapter and the persistence of these myths even in the early twenty first century is noted. This analysis also demonstrates the ways in which scholarly and popular perspectives on the past interact and merge.

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Home > Honors College > Honors Theses > 682

Honors Theses

The black death and its impact on the church and popular religion.

McLaurine H. Zentner , University of Mississippi. Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College

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Jeffrey Watt

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This thesis concerns the religious impact of the Black Death, the plague that devastated Europe during the middle of the fourteenth century. It explores the effect of the Black Death on the Catholic Church and the religious movements that emerged in response to it. The conclusions drawn here are based on the research of both primary and secondary sources. The Church played a significant role during the Middle Ages because religion was an important aspect of daily life for European Christians. When the Black Death struck Europe in 1347, the Church struggled to cope with the plague's damaging consequences and its reputation suffered as a result. This thesis concludes that the Black Death contributed to the decline in the confidence and faith of the Christian laity towards the institution of the Church and its leadership. The scope of this paper focuses on the plague's impact on the clergy, the rise of the flagellant movement, and the widespread Jewish persecutions that ensued in the wake of the plague. The Black Death was a significant event in the history of Western society with profound cultural and demographic consequences, and its impact on the Church and religion in medieval society justifies the study of this topic.

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Zentner, McLaurine H., "The Black Death and Its Impact on the Church and Popular Religion" (2015). Honors Theses . 682. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/682

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Thesis Statements

What this handout is about.

This handout describes what a thesis statement is, how thesis statements work in your writing, and how you can craft or refine one for your draft.

Introduction

Writing in college often takes the form of persuasion—convincing others that you have an interesting, logical point of view on the subject you are studying. Persuasion is a skill you practice regularly in your daily life. You persuade your roommate to clean up, your parents to let you borrow the car, your friend to vote for your favorite candidate or policy. In college, course assignments often ask you to make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked to convince your reader of your point of view. This form of persuasion, often called academic argument, follows a predictable pattern in writing. After a brief introduction of your topic, you state your point of view on the topic directly and often in one sentence. This sentence is the thesis statement, and it serves as a summary of the argument you’ll make in the rest of your paper.

What is a thesis statement?

A thesis statement:

• tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.
• is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.
• directly answers the question asked of you. A thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be World War II or Moby Dick; a thesis must then offer a way to understand the war or the novel.
• makes a claim that others might dispute.
• is usually a single sentence near the beginning of your paper (most often, at the end of the first paragraph) that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.

If your assignment asks you to take a position or develop a claim about a subject, you may need to convey that position or claim in a thesis statement near the beginning of your draft. The assignment may not explicitly state that you need a thesis statement because your instructor may assume you will include one. When in doubt, ask your instructor if the assignment requires a thesis statement. When an assignment asks you to analyze, to interpret, to compare and contrast, to demonstrate cause and effect, or to take a stand on an issue, it is likely that you are being asked to develop a thesis and to support it persuasively. (Check out our handout on understanding assignments for more information.)

How do I create a thesis?

A thesis is the result of a lengthy thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between known facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a “working thesis” that presents a basic or main idea and an argument that you think you can support with evidence. Both the argument and your thesis are likely to need adjustment along the way.

Writers use all kinds of techniques to stimulate their thinking and to help them clarify relationships or comprehend the broader significance of a topic and arrive at a thesis statement. For more ideas on how to get started, see our handout on brainstorming .

How do I know if my thesis is strong?

If there’s time, run it by your instructor or make an appointment at the Writing Center to get some feedback. Even if you do not have time to get advice elsewhere, you can do some thesis evaluation of your own. When reviewing your first draft and its working thesis, ask yourself the following :

• Do I answer the question? Re-reading the question prompt after constructing a working thesis can help you fix an argument that misses the focus of the question. If the prompt isn’t phrased as a question, try to rephrase it. For example, “Discuss the effect of X on Y” can be rephrased as “What is the effect of X on Y?”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it’s possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like “good” or “successful,” see if you could be more specific: why is something “good”; what specifically makes something “successful”?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? If a reader’s first response is likely to  be “So what?” then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
• Does my essay support my thesis specifically and without wandering? If your thesis and the body of your essay do not seem to go together, one of them has to change. It’s okay to change your working thesis to reflect things you have figured out in the course of writing your paper. Remember, always reassess and revise your writing as necessary.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? If a reader’s first response is “how?” or “why?” your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader. See what you can add to give the reader a better take on your position right from the beginning.

Suppose you are taking a course on contemporary communication, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: “Discuss the impact of social media on public awareness.” Looking back at your notes, you might start with this working thesis:

Social media impacts public awareness in both positive and negative ways.

You can use the questions above to help you revise this general statement into a stronger thesis.

• Do I answer the question? You can analyze this if you rephrase “discuss the impact” as “what is the impact?” This way, you can see that you’ve answered the question only very generally with the vague “positive and negative ways.”
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not likely. Only people who maintain that social media has a solely positive or solely negative impact could disagree.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? No. What are the positive effects? What are the negative effects?
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? No. Why are they positive? How are they positive? What are their causes? Why are they negative? How are they negative? What are their causes?
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? No. Why should anyone care about the positive and/or negative impact of social media?

After thinking about your answers to these questions, you decide to focus on the one impact you feel strongly about and have strong evidence for:

Because not every voice on social media is reliable, people have become much more critical consumers of information, and thus, more informed voters.

This version is a much stronger thesis! It answers the question, takes a specific position that others can challenge, and it gives a sense of why it matters.

Let’s try another. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. “This will be easy,” you think. “I loved Huckleberry Finn!” You grab a pad of paper and write:

Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel.

You begin to analyze your thesis:

• Do I answer the question? No. The prompt asks you to analyze some aspect of the novel. Your working thesis is a statement of general appreciation for the entire novel.

Think about aspects of the novel that are important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write:

In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore.

• Do I answer the question? Yes!
• Have I taken a position that others might challenge or oppose? Not really. This contrast is well-known and accepted.
• Is my thesis statement specific enough? It’s getting there–you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation. However, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal.
• Does my thesis pass the “how and why?” test? Not yet. Compare scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions and anything else that seems interesting.
• Does my thesis pass the “So what?” test? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify?”

After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write:

Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. 2018. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing , 8th ed. New York: Pearson.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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