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Period: 1346 to 1353
The Black Plague
The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Afro-Eurasia from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, resulting in the deaths of 75–200 million people in Eurasia and North Africa -
Period: 1346 to
World Travel and Pandemics
In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic we see the struggles of modern travel. World pandemics have been prevalent in crucial periods of history, including today. I want to help explain the struggles throughout history that we are experiencing today. By looking at how each generation dealt with these struggles, we can hopefully find solutions to make our situations easier. This timeline should be a reminder of the struggles that our past has dealt with and how to overcome them moving forward -
1347
The initial spread
The Black Death moves from China and Central Asia to Europe when an army led by Mongol ruler Janibeg attacks the Genoese trading port of Kaffa in Crimea. As infected soldiers die from the disease, Janibeg catapults their plague-infested bodies into the town to infect his enemies. From Kaffa, Genoese ships carry the epidemic westward to Mediterranean ports, quickly spreading the disease inland. -
1349
Impact of the Silk Road
The Silk Road was the term for the stretching trade route that was popular during this time. This route stretched from China to Europe and this trade route likely carried the deadly bubonic plague that killed as many as half of all Europeans within 7 years. -
Period: 1492 to 1548
Columbian Exchange
Columbus starts small pox in central America due to travel via boat. The initial spread would eventually stretch across Central America killing thousands of people with it. This was one of the first instances of a disease spreading across the world and killing a multitude of people on different continents. -
1500
Spread of other diseases and lack of learning
We see many other diseases being spread during this time as no one chose to address the issue a pandemic spreading across the world. Even with medical advancements today, we did not learn from our pasts while dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. History tends to repeat itself and we are seeing that statement first hand with the situation in world right now. The whole world has been put on hold as people across every continent are finding a way to deal with the pandemic. -
1520
Aztec Empire destroyed
When smallpox arrived on the shores of Mexico in 1520, it ravaged the population of the Aztec Empire, even killing the emperor. In November 1519, Hernando Cortés approached the capital of the Aztec kingdom and saw the carnage that the disease did to the Aztec people. This is important as it was the first civilization completely destroyed by a disease transmitted from another part of the world. -
Yellow Fever outbreak in colonial America
The major outbreak killed up to 5000 people around Philadelphia after mosquitoes spread the disease around via ship. During this import era of imports and slavery, many diseases were spread throughout America. -
Period: to
Spanish Flu
The Spanish flu, also known as the 1918 influenza pandemic, was an unusually deadly influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 influenza. A virus Lasting from 1918 to 1920 as it infected 500 million people, which was about a third of the world's population at the time. -
The quick spread of the Spanish Flu
We saw the fast spreading disease affect thousands as World War 1 raged on. As troops spread across Europe, so did the disease. This was the first instance of a disease be spread through land, sea, and air. This is important as the technology at the time would show us what dealing with diseases in the future would be like. -
Beginning of Commercial Flights
1950's were the beginning of commercial flights being common. This marks an important date as this allowed diseases to spread much easier. -
How Covid-19 has affected travel
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The main spread of COVID-19
COVID-19 is the first pandemic in the modern world of air travel. This technological advantage is ultimately what helped spread this deadly disease. We have seen the disease spread at alarming rates compared to other universal diseases. In this instance, the lack of technology was an advantage to other diseases like the Spanish flu and Bubonic plague. -
Period: to
COVID-19
COVID-19 is a disease that started in 2020 that has turned the world upside down. Being the first major pandemic in almost 100 years, it has continued to test the will of people across the world.