jan 1, 1320 - The Black Death/The Great Pestilence

Description:

Appeared in: Europe/Middle East
Caused by: Rodents, Trade, Trappers (sold pelts)
Effect: 30-50% of the population was killed. Europe lost 1/3 of it's pop. in two years. 200 million people died in 6.
Symptoms: High fever, Aching limbs, Terrible headache, thick urine that can be black or red, putrid smell, swollen and discolored lymph nodes that rupture, death within 3-4 days
Other Effects: Feudal system declined, smaller labor forces - rise of the merchant class, increased the need for better understanding of the human anatomy and physiology, shortage of learned individuals, used the jewish as a scapegoat for the explanation of the plague - which ended the lives of many jewish people.