2.1.6 Human Population Example - The Plague
The Black Death, or plague, was probably the biggest human population challenge in history. The plague originated in China and was spread through traders into Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and England. One-third to one-half of all people died from the plague.
Plague deaths are a good example of disease limiting population growth. Modern day examples could potentially cause huge decreases in human populations today - AIDS, SARS, the re-emergence of polio, and the ever-looming zombie apocalypse (true, that last one is fictional).
Research the plague with Mr. Donn. Read for 10 minutes, then take 15 minutes to create a post-card about one idea you find important. Include a title, picture, the main idea, and three supporting details. Share your postcard with the class by presenting it or discussing it together.
Human populations have grown slowly until the industrial revolution. Since then, the human population has grown exponentially. In 2011, the global population reached 7 billion. The good news is that the growth rate has slowed somewhat since the 1970s. Check out the current population information from the US Census Bureau. You will revisit the human population in lesson 2.6.
Figure 2.1.8 Human Population Collage by Anna Deese.
Inspired by Curtis Mann. Photo bleached collage. Pics taken from CC.
February 15, 2010.