Middle Ages Essay

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In the late Middle Ages, Europe experienced great economic poverty due to one of the world’s worst contagious diseases: the plague. The plague affected about 25 million people between years 1347 and 1352. The plague, also known as the Black Death, caused families and political leaders to abandon each other when they needed each other most. It also sparked the flagellant movement, which consisted of citizens physically harming themselves in order to regain respect from God. Due to the great death toll in serfs, farms were abandoned and it was difficult to continue a steady agriculture. “The busy commerce of the 1100s and 1200s, which had spurred the growth of cities, collapsed” (211). On the to other hand, for the serfs that did survive the plague life actually became more pleasant. They got their own land and were able to eat the crops that were typically given to the barons. Some crops included: meat, fruits, and vegetables. Once the plague had swept out up to 50% of Europe’s population, all hope for reunification was destroyed. The continent remained in chaos for over another 100 years.

Many people remember the Middle Ages as a time when all innovation was put to a stop. However, the advancements made in this time period proves to make the Middle Ages as one of the most vital years in European history. Hundreds of years of war caused the centralized monarchy to crumble. This however led to a new system of government that can be seen in modern day America. Additionally, economical patterns began to change direction and encouraged peasants to continue climbing up the social ladder. Accordingly so, the Middle Ages proved to be a critical time of innovation in government, culture, and economy.