During the Middle Ages, cat owners were in danger of being thought to be evil people
forced to kill their pets
perceived as very superstitious
considered to be the devil himself
used in the construction of buildings
It's obvious from the passage that the widespread epidemics in Europe in the Middle Ages. were believed to be the result of bad luck
helped to control the amount of rodents
caused the cat population to decline dramatically
were believed to be the work of witches
were connected to the diminishing numbers of cats
It's clear from the passage that during the 17th century, people no longer had any superstitions
cats were no longer considered to be rodents
the persecution of cats rose to its height
disease had wiped out most of Europe's cats
the cats' luck began to change for the better
67 WHY LEAVE? If people are satisfied where they are, they will not migrate. Throughout history, people have left their native lands for a variety of reasons: religious or racial persecution, lack of political freedom, economic deprivation. The forces that attracted them to new homelands were the opposites of these: religious and political freedom, ethnic tolerance, economic opportunity. The leading motive behind migration has always been economic. Overpopulation creates shortages of jobs and food. The natural resources of a region can become exhausted, impelling a whole group of people to migrate. People who are oppressed for any reason will in all likelihood be economically deprived as well. The movement from farm to city is a prime example of migration for economic reasons. During the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries, millions of people left poverty-stricken rural areas for the cities. Even the low-paying, seven-day-a-week jobs in early factories were better than the endless toil and misery of trying to earn a living on the farm. This search for jobs in urban areas has continued to be a leading cause of migration up to the present.
