1. Consequences of the Black Death

2. Population Consequences
Urban populations recovered quickly
Rural populations recovered slowly
Pre-plague populations were reached in the 1500s or 1600s

3. Economic Consequences
Shortage of laborers rising wages for peasants & artisans
Demand for workers  standard of living rose!
Decrease in financial distinctions  increase in social distinctions
Difficulty & danger of obtaining goods  extreme inflation (increase in prices)
The oppressed demanded fairer treatment
Landlords stopped freeing their serfs serfs revolted & left the land

4. Social Consequences
Lack of sufficient law enforcement personnel promoted anarchy
BUT….
A growth in higher education & appreciation for health, medicine

5. Religious Consequences
Promised cures, treatment, & explanations that they couldn’t give
Church lost prestige, authority, & leadership
Revolts against the church
Severe shortage of clergy – functioned as nurses and consequently died.
The church targeted the Jews for persecution

6. Religious Persecutions of the Jews – scapegoats Massacres and burnings
By 1351, 60 major & 150 smaller Jewish communities had been exterminated
Lepers were also targeted
Jews expelled, moved to Poland & Lithuania

7. Music and Art Culture turned morbid (dark)
Fascinated by death
Death was impending & inevitable
Death is a game, like chess!
Danse Macabre = the dance of death: skeletons mingling with the living
Shocking comparisons