HIS 402 The Black Death

Few natural disasters throughout history have garnered as much interest and examination as the 14th century epidemic known as the Black Death. Responsible for the deaths of as much as half of the European population in as little as three years, the Black Death also set the stage for major economic, cultural, and spiritual upheaval that ultimately led to the transition from medieval to early modern Europe. This course will investigate the status of Europe just prior to the arrival of the Black Death, the course of the pestilence itself, the effects of the Black Death and its recurring waves over the next 150 years, and current scholarly debates that surround these issues. This course is one of the Proseminar courses that can be taken as a prerequisite for History Seminar.

3 credit hours