Western Civilizations chapter 10

What caused the Black Death? In what sense can it be seen as a product of the new world system that began with the Mongol conquest?

The Black Death was started in China by a Chinese microbe called Yersiniapestis. From there, it expanded rapidly through trade routes, expanding over nearly all of the known world. This can be seen as a product of the new world system that began with the Mongol conquest, because it was the new trade system that allowed it to travel so fast. Trade routes had increased due to the conquest, and therefore increasing infection radius of the Black Death.

               We live in a world in which the global circulation of people, information, goods, and bacteria is rapid. How does the medieval system compare to ours? What features seem familiar?

The medieval system seems to be a slower version than ours today. While bacteria may only be able to travel about two miles a day back then, one could probably travel to the other side of the world in under two days. That being said, most countries have checks for known diseased, or carriers of disease, and therefore bacteria are hindered at many modern day ports. That being said, the possibility of bad being sent with good seems equally possible as back then with so many people, information, goods, and bacteria being shipped hundreds of miles per day.