Ch 15, Sec 5: The Late Middle Ages

Goals for Today:

• Compare previous sources to the textbook over the topics of the plague and the Hundred Years’ War

• Explain how European society was changed due to disease and warfare

Black Death

• Reached Europe in the 1300s• Caused by a bacteria being spread by fleas on

rats• The fleas/rats followed the trade routes from

Asia to Europe called the Silk Road• The Mongol Empire was also blamed for the

disease spreading• Cities were the breeding grounds for the

disease

Plague Hits Caffa

• Mongols were at war with Caffa• Mongols would throw their dead troops over

the wall to get Caffa to give up• Caffa refused to give up

The Plague Spreads• Plague jumped from Caffa to Italy through

trade on ships in 1347• In 4 years, it spread to France, Germany,

England, and Russia• 38 million Europeans died (1 out of 2 people

died)

Symptoms• Tumors in the groin or armpits (size of apples)

started to appear• Within a day, these tumors spread all over the

body• Black/purple spots started appearing on the skin• No fever or pain• Would be dead within 3 days

Death From The Plague• Doctors/fake doctors could not figure out a

cure• People died so fast that they were found:– In the streets in the morning– In houses once the smell got bad– On farms or in abandoned buildings

• Bodies were collected at churches and buried in family plots or in mass graves

Effects of the Plague

• Took away ½ of the population of Europe• Decline of trade and food prices• Increase in wages• Helped to end feudalism• Weakened the Church

The Hundred Years’ War• Between France and England• Started over who would be king of France• Edward III of England took the throne– Sent his soldiers to Crecy-first battle– Used longbow men to beat the French army– French morale was low

Joan of Arc• French peasant• Heard voices from the saints telling her to fight in the war• King Charles VII had her go with the French

army to the city of Orleans• Her faith inspired the French soldiers to fight

again• Was caught, tried, and burned at the stake for

heresy/witchcraft

Results of the Hundred Years’ War

• French won the war• English troops pushed out of France• A strong French gov’t was established• A civil war broke out in England over who

should be king

Spain and Portugal Fight the Muslims

• Ruled by Muslims• Both countries had mostly Christian people• Split into 3 groups: Portugal (west), Castile

(middle), and Aragon (east)

Reconquista

• Christians attacked the Muslims to take back their countries

• Lasted over 200 years• Christians were successful at pushing out the

Muslims except for in Granada (Southern Spain)

Results of the Reconquista

• Castile and Aragon were joined together as one land when Isabella and Ferdinand got married

• Spain was formed

Spanish Inquisition• Isabella and Ferdinand ruled Spain– Wanted to get rid of the Jews– Tortured Jews to convert or to leave Spain– Also took over Granada in 1492/forced the

remaining Muslims to convert or leave Spain (most went to North Africa)