World Economic History October 5, 2007
Life Expectancy Chapter 5
Life expectancy
The Black Death
Black Death Spread
The Black Death: origins The world experienced it before: Byzantine Empire – 6 th century AD Spread to the Mediterranean world a century later The bug(s): Bubonic plague: bacillus carried by parasites on the back of rodents (the black rat) Anthrax Spread Trade (ports, ships) Beliefs of the time: spread through the air (miasma)
Europe, 14 th century
Life after the Plague: did England and the Netherlands fled the Malthusian trap?