Which plague struck Europe in the 14th century, significantly reducing the population and altering social structures?

• A. Smallpox
• B. Cholera
• C. Black Death
• D. Typhus

Answer: (C)

The idea tested here is recognizing a historic pandemic and its huge impact on Europe. The Black Death, the bubonic plague that arrived in Europe around 1347, caused an enormous loss of life and reshaped how societies organized themselves. Transmission occurred through fleas on rats that moved along trade routes, letting the disease spread rapidly across towns and countryside alike. The resulting demographic collapse disrupted labor, weakened the feudal system, and spurred broad social and economic changes—survivors saw higher wages, new opportunities for mobility, and shifts in agriculture and daily life, along with changes in religious and cultural practices. While other diseases like smallpox, cholera, and typhus have caused illness and deaths, none produced the same century‑defining transformation in Europe as the Black Death.