Essay On Changes In Europe During The Middle Ages

Europe was having a prosperous time during the thirteenth century, quality harvests lead to a surplus of food that allowed Europe’s population to grow and expand. Nearing the end of the thirteenth century Europe began to have dangerous changes that would lead to some horrible outcomes. Firstly, a miniscule drop in overall temperature caused a “little ice age”, this led to shortened farming seasons and between 1315 and 1317, and caused heavy rains in northern Europe that destroyed harvests and led to serious food shortages. These food shortages could not have come at a worse time as Europe was reaching the peak of its population as almost all farmable land was being farmed, and a large percent of the population was very poor. In the first half of the fourteenth century, this famine killed about 10 percent of Europe’s population, leaving the rest malnourished and more susceptible to diseases. Mid-fourteenth century would be when Europe began to feel the effects of the …show more content…
Since most of Europe’s population was peasants at the time, they were the largest percent of those that died, and since there was less of them they were more sought out for work. Those that survived the countless horrors of the Black Death began to live for the moment, while others believed that the plague was sent by God to punish them for their sins, and some people even believed that the Jews were poisoning the water so nearly all Jews would flee to Poland and Russia to escape prosecution. Various revolts and upheavals occurred as a result of people realized they were worth extra and knew that life was short, and they believed that the upper class prevented them from being contented and fulfilled with their life . These actions against the rich would lead to a plethora of social and economic