The Black Death was a pandemic of the bubonic plague. Historians believe the disease arrived in Europe from Asia via rats that were bitten by fleas and then infected humans. The disease led to a dramatic decline in the population and labor force of Europe. Ultimately, the impact of the Black Death was a decline in an already weakened feudal system, and a loss of faith in the Church.

Not only are lessons learned from the Black Death present in culture and art, as seen in The Dance of Death, but also in ways people react to dangerous diseases today. Think about, for example, how most communities have taken strides to eradicate diseases like AIDS through research and knowledge.