Since the beginning of civilization, humanity has battled with the forces of nature to survive. One of the most terrifying forces is disease. Diseases can come in many different forms. They are caused by many things, such as viruses, bacteria, and some are even non-infectious and can be transmitted genetically. Some of these disorders, called pandemics, are highly contagious and can afflict large numbers of people in a short period of time. An example of a pandemic is the Black Death. It swept across Europe in the 14th century, killing an estimated 75 million people and causing the collapse of the feudal system. The Black Death is considered one of the deadliest pandemics in history due to the speed of its spread, the number of victims, and the lasting effects it has had on humanity. The speed with which it manifested itself was a major factor in its lethality. The plague is believed to have originated in Central Asia around 1330 (Edmonds). European traders were the first to learn of the plague because they traveled east along trade routes. By the time they realized the extent of this brutal disease, it was too late. They had no idea what they were facing. The plague moved along trade routes and on merchant ships. The sailors of these ships, not knowing what ailed them, stopped in ports to trade. The citizens of the cities would contract the disease and desperately chase away the ships, but it didn't matter. Once a few people contracted the disease, it spread like wildfire. In 1347, a city called Kaffa was attacked by the Tatar army (Edmonds). The Tartars, however, contracted the plague and began to become extinct. The people of the city had no idea what was destroying their enemies, but that wasn't the case... middle of paper... everything about the plague was bad. If it hadn't happened, perhaps we would still be dirty and medically ignorant, and the tyrannical monarchies of Europe might still be in power. Humanity eventually adapted to survive, just as it has since the beginning of time. Works Cited Cantor, Norman F. In the Wake of the Plague: The Black Death and the World It Made. New York: Free, 2001. Print.Edmonds, Molly. “How the Black Death Worked.” How things work. Network. March 20, 2012. .Ibeji, Mike. "Death Star". BBC News. BBC, 10 March 2011. Web. 20 March 2012. .Kreis, Steven. "Lesson 29: Satan Triumphant: The Black Death." The history guide. 03 August 2009. Web. 20 March. 2012. .