Around 1300, centuries of prosperity and growth in Europe came to a halt. A series of famines and plagues, including the Great Famine of 1315–1317 and the Black Death, reduced the population to around half of what it was before the calamities. Along with depopulation came social unrest and endemic warfare. France and England experienced serious peasant uprisings, such as the Jacquerie and the Peasants' Revolt, as well as over a century of intermittent conflict in the Hundred Years' War. To add to the many problems of the period, the unity of the Catholic Church was shattered by the Western Schism. Collectively these events are sometimes called the Crisis of the Late Middle Ages. 

Despite these crises, the 14th century was also a time of great progress in the arts and sciences. Following a renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman texts that took root in the High Middle Ages, the Italian Renaissance began. The absorption of Latin texts had started before the Renaissance of the 12th century through contact with Arabs during the Crusades, but the availability of important Greek texts accelerated with the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks, when many Byzantine scholars had to seek refuge in the West, particularly Italy.
Was the 14th century a time of terrible disaster? how many areas progressed? what areas? When did growth come to a halt in europe? why? what did that do to the people? How many countries had  peasant uprisings? name them Who fought the hundred years war What happened to the Roman Catholic Church? by? What  language texts were of interest in the high middle ages? what did that start? contact with who has begun the learning of latin texts? During which events? How did Greek texts arrive? Who captured the city? Which scholars sought help elsewhere? Where did they go When was the great famine?
no Two arts and sciences Around 1300 famines and plagues halved the population Two France and England France and England the unity was shattered Western Schism. ancient Greek and Roman texts the Italian Renaissance began Atabs the Crusades, refugees from the fall of Constantinople Ottoman Turks many Byzantine scholars Italy 1315–1317