The Black Death Project was created as a project for History 121D at UCLA, taught by Professor Ruiz. The site endeavors to provide a comprehensive perspective on one of the most significant phenomenon in the Middle Ages, something that would shape the Western world for years to come. This site pays special attention to primary sources and statistical data from the relevant time periods (1348 onwards) to trace the changes in various segments of medieval culture.
Background provides a broad overview of the Bubonic Plague, as well as its origins, causes, and physical effects. Some modern theories about the plague are also discussed here. The plague's many social effects are discussed elsewhere in the site, relying on numerous primary accounts, such as Boccaccio's Decameron. One of the lesser known facts is that the plague was responsible for bringing about a dramatic change in religious attitudes; this is the subject of the theological section. More heavily emphasized in most histories are the political changes, and there are plenty of first-hand records to even draw conclusions about the economic ramifications of the Black Plague. Finally, there was a short-lived, but significant, shift in art and aesthetic culture, which is also covered on this website.
The Miscellaneous section is a collection of random facts, narratives, accounts, and other - more modern - curiosities we discovered during our research. This section is also has a list of links to useful websites, both on- and off-topic. Instead of littering each page with countless endnotes, we decided to compile them all in the Sources section. If you wish to know where we got some of our information, that's the place to find it. Finally, a crude index is provided for the interested scholar who may wish to look up information about a certain topic.
Potential stalkers may be wondering who exactly we are. Well, here you go:
This website was designed in Macromedia Dreamweaver 4 by Sumir. Content was, of course, contributed by all of us. All graphics were constructed using Adobe Photoshop 6. Because the website is graphics-intensive, it is highly recommended that you view it on a somewhat modern computer, in 800 x 600 resolution and at least 16-bit color. We recommend using Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher, or Netscape 6.0 or higher, but I won't argue if you use Opera 5.0 or higher. Oh, and a fast internet connection would make everyone's lives much easier (I might eventually get a text-only version of this site done, but don't count on me - I'm really lazy).
Questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome. Please direct all feedback to Sumir. Monetary aid is also appreciated.
