Great Famine DBQ Essay

1.The Great Famine was mainly caused by severe weather. There were an unusual number of storms, which ruined crops people largely depended on, like wheat, oat, and hay crops. Food was scarce, and a price inflation ensued. The Great Famine profoundly impacted medieval society because it resulted in a higher mortality rate, higher crime rate, and less productivity from the laborers due to insufficient nutritions. Additionally, villages were abandoned and there was an increase in vagabonds, or homeless people. Country people sold their mortgages, subleases, and holdings in order to buy food; more people were in debt. The government officials didn 't have effective solutions to these problems, which lead to discontent and paranoia. The Jews were blamed, and expelled. Not only did famine affect the countries afflicted, it also had a ripple effect internationally because other countries depended on the afflicted countries for their products or exports in order to sustain business and …show more content…
One difference was that in the Middle Ages, divorces didn’t exist, while in modern day it does. In the Middle Ages, the church believed that when two parties consented and promised to a marriage it can’t be dissolved. In unusual circumstances, annulments were granted. A divorce recognizes a person as previously married, however, an annulment declares a marriage invalid and as if it never existed. Middle Ages and modern day marriages both grant annulments. Another difference was that in the late Middle Ages, economic factors largely determined when a person married and whom he or she married. For example, men sometimes had to marry after their fathers’ died to acquire the land and holdings. In modern day, however, economic factors or a person’s class don’t serve as much of an obstacle in marriage. These are some similarities and differences between the Middle Ages and modern American