The Black Death began spreading in the 1320s in Mongolia and parts of Asia and the Middle East. By 1347, it had arrived in Europe through Sicily and spread across the continent over the next few years through person-to-person transmission, aided by close living quarters and lack of hygiene. Its symptoms included swollen lymph nodes, fever, and dark blotchy skin that led to death within days for most victims. It primarily spread through flea-infested rats and killed over a third of Europe's population.

1. By: Clarissa Funaki P.2