During the late Middle Ages, many advances were made, as were many new inventions, and art and literature reached their peak. With these very important improvements of the late Middle Ages came a problem to which nothing could be compared, the Black Death. During this time period the Black Death was a major factor in Europe from 1300 to 1450. Many people said it was the end of the world due to the effects of the plague on the European people and Europe in general. brought to Europe via goods from China. In this shipment there were mice that had fleas on them that carried this plague, and these little fleas caused one of the most devastating epidemics in the history of the world. European peoples were already going through difficult times before the plague, due to economic depression and agricultural expansion, reached its limits. Then in 1347 the plague struck, once infected with the plague a person would develop enormous swelling in the groin or armpits, black spots would appear on the legs, then diarrhea would occur and the victim would die between the third and fifth day. The plague was not only transmitted by fleas, but was also transmitted through the air and if a person was infected in this way they coughed up blood and then died within 3 days. By the end of the plague about two-thirds of the European population had died and there were five surviving people...