Background of the Middle Ages and the Black Plague

Our focus is the Late Middle Ages

Early Middle Ages: 500 – 1000

High Middle Ages: 1000 – 1250

Late Middle Ages: 1250

Early Middle Ages: 500 – 1000

High Middle Ages: 1000 – 1250

Late Middle Ages: 1250

What does Medieval mean, literally?

• Medieval

• Medium Aevum = Middle Agges

From where is absolute power derived today? In the Middle

Ages?• Watch the clip and find the answer!

What’s going on here?

Charlemagne’s Empire

FeudalismFeudalismFeudalismFeudalismA political, economic, and social system based on loyalty and military service.

Feudalism

• A political, economic, and social system based on loyalty and military service.

The Medieval ManorThe Medieval ManorThe Medieval ManorThe Medieval Manor

Gothic Cathedrals

Spread of the Plague

Stages of the Plague

• Came to the continent from Sicily in 1347

• Europe may have been susceptible due to what events in the 14th c?

• Bubonic plague (aka Yersinia pestis) was spread by what?

• Pneumonic plague was spread by coughing (making it far more deadly).

• Europe didn’t begin recovering until the 16th century

Results of the Plague (Impact on Society and Economy)

• Between one-quarter and one-third of Europe’s entire population was killed (up to 38 million).

• In some areas, the death toll reached 50%.

• (see what happened to the dead)

• People reacted in varying ways: indulgent living, abandoning cities, extreme behavior.

• Pogroms were attacks against which group of people? Where did said persecuted group go?

More Results• Labor shortage in the aftermath of

the plagues. Aristocracy lost money.

• Statute of Laborers (1351) : Limit Wages

• Social Mobility--Hastened the decline of serfdom (wage labor becomes more popular)

• Scutage?• Peasant Revolts

– Jacquerie in France (1358) Meux to the right. --------->

– English Peasants’ Revolt (1381)--Watt Tyler and John Ball against the poll tax and the nobility. Successful?

• Revolts in the Cities – Ciompi Revolt in Florence

(1378)--short-lived success

Let’s talk about the possible essay question.

• 1) Explain the Black Death’s impact on the society and economy of Europe?