# data[].attributes.body
There are various forms of plague that have been discovered but I will be focusing on the most dramatic plague from the middle ages called the bubonic plague. It's scientific name is Yersinia Pestis and is transmitted through fleas and/or rodents. This plague had an outbreak in the early 1340's and resulted in what we call the Black Death. The bubonic plague is an extremely contagious disease that resulted in millions of deaths throughout the world.
*the background image shows the various trade routes throughout Europe, Asia and Africa*

# data[].attributes.body
The Black Death was estimated to have originated in central Asia. It was suspected to travel through the silk road  and reached Crimea by 1343. In 1347 the Black Death arrived in Europe. It arrived by sea on twelve Genoese trading ships that were docked in the Sicilian port in Messina. By the time the boats docked, majority of the sailors were dead or severely ill. They were covered in black boils that oozed blood and pus, hence the name "the Black Death." Rumors quickly spread throughout the trade routes about a "Great Pestilence." There was a belief quoted on history.com that said, "instantaneous death occurs when the aerial spirit escaping from the eyes of the sick man strikes the healthy person standing near and looking at the sick." This referenced the populations belief that the God was punishing their spirits. This is also elaborated on in the impact on society. But what the Europeans didn't know, was that the plague had already struck countries such as China, India, Persia, Syria and Egypt in the early 1340's. The plague then spread to other ships and reached the port of Marseilles in France and the port of Tunis in North Africa in 1348. It then hit Rome and Florence in 1349 and continued to spend to greater masses. The previous information was found on history.com under the 'Black Death.' The photo below references the cause of the Black Plague, the rat.

# data[].attributes.body
Throughout recorded history, there is an estimate of 75-200 million deaths from the cause of the Bubonic plague. Majority of these numbers/statistics were found on the 'Black Death' Wikipedia page. In recorded European history, roughly 45-50 percent of Europes population died during a four year period (1348-1352). The entire European population was estimated to be 450 million in the 1340's but slowly decreased down to an estimated 350-375 million in the late 1350's early 1360's. Europe couldn't regain pre-plague population levels until the early 17th century. In modern day society there is an estimate of 1000-2000 cases of the Bubonic plague per year. Most of these cases are reported in Africa or areas with bad sanitation, overcrowding and a large rodent population. The following current statistics were found on healthline.com. In 2013 there were 783 cases reported worldwide with a total number of 126 deaths. This shows that even after hundreds of years, the plague is still something that could affect us even though the death toll is nearly incomparable will the middle ages.

# data[].attributes.body
Back in the Middle Ages many people didn't have an understanding as to what the bubonic plague was. If someone became sick, the had no cures and believed that they were going to die.  The bubonic plague affects your immune system (lymphatic system) and results in flu like symptoms. These symptoms can occur within the first 2-6 days
-fever or chills
-nausea
-headaches
-muscle pain/cramps
-general weakness
-dizziness
-blackened finger nails *photo below*
-and in extreme cases, seizures
Another symptom of the plague is swollen lymph glands (called buboes hence the name bubonic plague) that appear in the groin, armpits, neck or where you have been directly bitten or scratched. The plague is usually quick a killing a person, but in some conditions it can take many days and/or even weeks. If he plague if in your system for a long time it can lead to blood clots in your hands and feet. This can then turn to gangrene as the blood can't reach your fingers and toes. Another effect can be meningitis but it's extremely rare.

# data[].attributes.body
In modern day society, we have doctors that can help identify the plague. If you visit a doctor the standard procedure would be to check for presence of bacteria in your body/bloodstream by taking some blood tests. They also would sample the fluid in your lymph nodes and give you some antibiotics. If a doctor is not seen within 48 hours, death is likely to occur. But back in the Middle Ages, most people didn't have access to, or couldn't afford to see a doctor. Even if they could visit a doctor, no one was really qualified to diagnose the plague because they didn't have the access to the information we have today and didn't have access to any treatments. This resulted in people taking major precautions during the Black Death. To prevent the plague from entering a family household they would clear all cluttered firewood or piles of rock, brush and any other debris that could attack rodents. They would steer clear of family members to avoid crowded living conditions. They would frequently wash themselves and wear a lot of clothing to make sure there was no bare skin for the fleas or rodents to reach. In our current society we can use flea control on our pets or use insect repellants or citronella when they are outdoors. Similar to the statistics and information in 'total numbers of deaths' this information has been found on healthline.com under 'The Plague.'

# data[].attributes.body
During the Black Death many people lost their loved ones. This resulted in extreme mental trauma and cases of depression. No one knew if they ere going to survive or not, so death constantly loomed over everyone's minds. The information regarding this topic was found on brown.edu under 'the social and economic effects of the plague'. Infected people became extremely isolated because they were shut off from society. They were a safety hazard and were shunned by their neighbors, friends and even families. Many people gave up hope and discarded the need for funerals. There were so many deaths that it began to loose sentiment to most people. Majority of the population became depressed and gave up hope, while others began to fully live their lives while they could. These people believed that they should live their lives to the fullest, running away to seek adventure and happiness. While others fled cities and abandoned their friends and families because they couldn't deal with their current situation. Many people shut themselves off from social contact and remained lonely for the rest of their lives. The photo below relates to the negligence of funerals

# data[].attributes.body
Because of the deaths occurring, many people turned to Religion. They believed that if they prayed and attended various masses, that the Lord would eventually save them. They believed that God was punishing them for their sins. But once the religious slowly began to die, many people stopped believing. They found it pointless to waste their precious time they had left, praying to something/someone that wasn't going to help anything. Religion began to rapidly decease after the plague and many people gave up on life. As referenced on brown.edu under 'the social and economic effects of the plague' it was explained how the population decreased, jobs became available and wages increased. The wages were larger and helped workers to keep working. Living conditions became extravagant and many "landless peasants" became working class men. Clothing became expensive and many people couldn't afford their lifestyles. With a scarce amount of workers prices raised for regular inexpensive goods. Many people couldn't survive, so society divided in half- the wealthy men and the now penniless peasants.