What was one effect of the Black Plague on families?

One significant effect of the Black Plague on families was that individuals were able to marry at a younger age. The devastating impact of the plague led to a drastic decrease in the population, which resulted in a labor shortage. This situation created opportunities for younger individuals to assert themselves in social and economic matters more than they might have during more stable times. As there were fewer people available for work, families were often more willing to allow their children to marry earlier, as it could also alleviate some of the burden of caring for them and allow them to form their own households.

In this context, young couples might have found practical reasons to marry sooner, such as the need for labor in agricultural or trade sectors where they could combine resources. This shift in attitudes towards marriage age can be attributed to the changing social dynamics brought on by the pandemic's impact on societal structures.