The Black Plague: 1347-1352

~Also called Bubonic plague; died in 6 days after contraction

~Began in Asia and spread to Italy and rest of Europe due to rats

~Killed more than 25 million people in Europe

China's Sorrow

The Yellow River is called so because of the huge amount of eroded sediment in the water, making the color a yellow tint. In 1931, Yellow River rises well beyond its banks and forms new rivers as it grows. The river eventually takes over 40,000 square miles and floods the regions. More than 85 million people were left homeless and over 1 million people died from disease and starvation. It is estimated that in the past 100 years, more than 6 million people have been killed due to the constant flooding of the river.

Other Disasters of Note:

Chicago Fire of 1871; Flu Outbreak of 1918-1919; Eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980; San Francisco Earthquakes of 1906 and 1989; Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 (container of 2.5 million gallons of molasses burst open, 21 people were burned or smothered to death by the thick molasses