The plague that struck Europe in the late 14th century not only killed 25 million people, but also struck fear into hearts of families everywhere. This disease would push colonies into a harsh and limiting lifestyle.
             Classes though were affected in different ways. The higher class fled infected areas and left peasants and slaves to be feasted upon by the plague. Children died off, as others were held from schools by parents afraid of contracting the highly contagious disease.
             The people of the affected areas had no idea how the disease was formed, but there guesses were based upon filth in streets and animals. Today we know that their guesses weren't far off. Rats that ran around towns were infested with fleas that carried the devastating plague. Coming in contact these filthy animals was common and what they didn't know, Contagious. After one contraction the plague spread threw towns and soon countries all over.
             The European trading nation in terror cut off all contact with Rome. All exportation had been terminated. This led to a severe decrease of manufactured goods and trade in general among nations.
             Everyone holding on to religion as one of their only forms of comfort took many hardships into play. To them the bubonic plagues meant three words: Death, Gold, and Gallows. The expense of gold came from the hired pest control, which would board families that carried the disease up in there homes leaving them to starve or die from infection. The word gallows stood for any person who violated the health regulations set. As the plague spread nurses became short leading to death in massive numbers.
             For everyone of the 15th to the 18th century the bubonic plague brought nothing but death. I believe that the phrase "survival of the fittest" must have come from this era where a plague devastated societies and took many lives.
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