About a third of Europe’s population and a quarter of Syria’s and Egypt’s were killed by the disgusting pestilence known as the Bubonic Plague. The epidemic, also nicknamed the Black Death, was a disease that caused painful blisters on its victims, along with chills, fever, quick heartbeat and vomiting. It first appeared in Asia in the 1330s, and spread to Europe and northern Africa in the 1340s. Since cultures differ dramatically by location, people who followed Christianity and people who followed Islam had very strong distinction in opinion about the illness. Christians and Muslims had such different responses to the Bubonic plague because of their reactions, placing the blame and acceptance of the tragedy.
One reason the responses to the Black Death varied so much was the initial reactions. A quote from a Christian in this time period reads “It was a cruel and horrible thing; and I do not know where to begin to tell the cruelty and the pitiless ways. It seemed that almost everyone became stupefied from seeing the pain. And it is impossible for the human tongue …show more content…
In Document 10, the text says “...a direct causal relationship to be found between the Black Death (or subsequent plague epidemics) and the active persecution of minorities, as in Europe” Even more evidence can be found in Document 7, a poem written at a riot against the Jews, which says “... and throughout all Christienage, Of this it seemed quite clear, The Jews were guilty of this crime.” Meanwhile, Document 10 say “The unassimilated communities were tolerated in medieval Muslim society… were not held responsible for the ravages of the pandemic.” This shows that the Muslims, as demonstrated in their initial reactions as well, were much more mild in their chosen words and responses to the disease. This shows the contrast, possibly of the people and the religions they