The Bubonic Plague, nicknamed the Black Death for the black spots it caused on the victim's skin, terrorized Europe during the Medieval Times. It killed over 20 million people in five years, almost 1/3 of the population. Not only was this devastating but the effects of this population loss reached beyond just people dying. Shortage of labor, people questioned their faith, and entire towns would simply just disappear. People had no idea what was causing it or how to not get it. Crazy methods were used to cure people who got infected. Methods like bloodletting which is when you cut open a hole in the person's arm or leg and let the "infection" bleed out. This did not work. Some people thought they were being punished for their sins so they would punish themselves by whipping their own backs. Little did people know that this horrendous outbreak was caused by rats and fleas. The dirty conditions of the time made it a perfect spot for rats and fleas. To help you picture how terrible the Black Death was, read this eye witness account.
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