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How Did The Black Death Affect The Economy

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Words 883
Pages 4
Summer Musser
Topics of Historiography
Example 1: Question 1 The Black Death was an event that changed the course of the Medieval World and slowly began to tip the balance of power. Many historians would agree that the events that took place between 1347 and 1352 had left a lasting impact on the current economy. Slack argues that not only was the Black Death a factor, but it was also any pre-existing economic and political turmoil that laid the foundation for the plague outbreak to have such a devastating after effect. Not every part of Europe had suffered the same effects; England had less productive arable land, which caused many of its residents that lived near the city to pick up new trades. Other midland areas were not as fortunate and were unable to get out of that rut. The effects of the Black Death ultimately resulted from the demographic recession where some areas were able to bounce back much quicker than others.
Question 2: …show more content…
On one hand, the loss of nearly a third of their population from the plague gave rise to tax inflations and prices soared. With very few to work the fields, famine and revolts started to creep up around the countryside. Serfdom had also been on the rise, whereas the servants ask for higher wages since they are now in such high demand. On the other hand, the events prior to the Black Death were ultimately the deciding factor to the outcome that followed. Depending on the development of the area, the effects were quite different and each area was able to respond to the crisis in a way that either help them progress faster or in some instances they were unable to make it

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