What was one consequence of the Black Death in Europe?

The consequence of the Black Death that is reflected in the choice is the labor shortages and rise in wages. The plague, which swept through Europe in the 14th century, decimated a significant portion of the population, leading to a drastic decrease in the workforce. With fewer workers available to tend to fields, run businesses, and provide services, labor became more valuable. As a result, surviving laborers, particularly peasants and artisans, found themselves in a position to demand higher wages and better working conditions, thus shifting the dynamic of the economy and weakening the traditional bonds of servitude found in the feudal system.

This period marked a significant economic transition as landowners and employers had to compete for available labor, leading to an enhancement of individual bargaining power among workers. The consequences of this shift would carry forward, ultimately contributing to social changes that set the stage for the end of the feudal system in Europe.

The other choices do not accurately reflect the immediate consequences of the Black Death: the population declined sharply, feudalism weakened rather than strengthened due to the shifts in economic power, and while the power of the Church was challenged over time, it did not decline as an immediate consequence of the plague; many people turned to the Church for