Top 10 Worst Years in History
What are the absolute worst years in history? You know, the ones that make you glad you weren't around to witness the chaos, suffering, and downright awful events that unfolded. We've all heard whispers of plagues, wars, famines, and natural disasters that ravaged civilizations and left scars on the human story. But which years truly deserve the dubious honor of being the absolute worst?It's a fascinating, if somewhat morbid, question. After all, every year has its share of triumphs and tragedies, of progress and setbacks. But some years stand out as particularly bleak, as moments in time when it seemed like the world was on the brink of collapse.
World War II began with the invasion of Poland by Germany, leading to widespread conflict. The Spanish Civil War ended with the victory of Francisco Franco's forces. Bro, half the people picked 2016 as the worst year just because Trump was elected as president in the US, but not 1939, even though thousands of people died. Oh my God, these people are so selfish. They don't think 1939 is the worst year, even though so many people died.
Well, what if one of those people were you? Would you be happy? Absolutely not. Just stop being selfish and care about others, guys. It's just a bad president. So what? Is that life-threatening? No. So there.
So 2016 was the worst year ever because celebrities died and democracy took its course? Nonsense. 1939 signified the beginning of a brutal war that took millions of lives and led to even more divisions, deaths, and tortures in the long term, also known as a divided Berlin. If you can compare 2016 to a year that spawned the genocide and mass murdering of millions of innocent men, women, and children, you really need to grow up and maybe pick up a book rather than forming your opinion based on a BuzzFeed article.
The Black Death continued to ravage Europe, killing millions and significantly reducing the population. Social and economic systems were severely disrupted as a result of the pandemic. Seriously? 2016? 2020? (COVID, but still) 2014? They're all jokes compared to this year. In none of those years was 99% of the world in extreme poverty, nor was clean water nonexistent everywhere, and sanitation was also nonexistent everywhere.
I'm sorry, but 2016? What are you guys smoking? In 2013, 90% of the world had climbed out of extreme poverty, and in 1350, 99% of the world was in it. Let's not forget to mention a little disease called the Black Plague, which, by conservative estimates, killed three-fifths of Europe. Imagine three of every five friends and family members dying in the span of a couple of years. That's as hellish as the world will ever get. 2016, give me a break.
World War I began following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, leading to widespread conflict. The war resulted in massive casualties and the mobilization of entire nations. Should be #1. This year has nothing on the last year and the year before that. Just because they were bad for pop culture and education (and they were very bad for those) doesn't mean it was necessarily a bad year. That misses the purpose of the entire list. 1914, on the other hand, well, it started World War 1.
You know, that one war that laid the path for the rest of the 20th century and beyond, the war that resulted from the less violent Napoleonic ones, the thing that spawned nothing good for humanity except for the League. You know, that year. When the actual war started, 1 million people died in one month - for a war in Europe. It was one of the most violent wars in history, the one that made the Nazis famous, the one that still has terrible implications today!
This is truly one of the worst years in history, or even ever.
To summarize: it was a pretty big deal, but not because of good stuff, but because of tragedies and bloodshed.
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, prompting the United States to enter World War II. Nazi Germany initiated Operation Barbarossa, invading the Soviet Union. Despite 1939 (the start of the Phony War) currently ranking #1, 1941 marks the beginning of the genocide of Jews, with the Nazis ordering children to be shot, rapidly escalating executions, and using Zyklon B for the first time. Pearl Harbor also occurred, leading America to join on both fronts. Additionally, Operation Barbarossa brought the USSR to the Allies' side until the Nazis were defeated. This was a year when most of continental Europe was under the control of fascists and/or literal Nazis.
This year reminds us why we must vigorously oppose those who sow hatred and division, for the good of all humankind!
The COVID-19 pandemic spread globally, causing millions of deaths and widespread economic disruption. Wildfires ravaged large areas of Australia and the western United States. 2017, 2018, and 2019 were good years, with 2019 being the last good one. Then 2020 came, and everything began to fall apart. 2021, 2022, and 2023 passed, and 2024 felt like a void.
I wish the world had ended for good on January 23rd, 2020. That was when the COVID-19 lockdowns began. I think the Mayans actually meant January 23rd, 2020, as the end of the world, because I swear the world should have exploded on that day. If that had happened, there would have been no COVID-19.
On January 5th, 2020, the world went from decent to mediocre. By January 23rd, 2020, the world became bad after hearing the news of the lockdowns in China. In fact, I don't know, but I hope for the world's end by next year.
A series of terrorist attacks occurred in Europe, including the Brussels bombings and the Nice truck attack. The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in the Brexit referendum. Where to start with this miserable pile of crap? I began the year by breaking one of my fingers during a vacation to Lake Tahoe, and I also caught a cold later. The May-June portion of this year went great for me, but then it fell apart in July.
I made a huge mistake by leaving the school where I had friends and good teachers. I wanted to leave because it was too rowdy, so I picked another school in upstate Moraga, and it sucks. The world tore itself apart, and there was always a celebrity death in the news every week or month. The Olympics were plagued with issues and problems, and terrorists attacked many cities, killing many innocent people.
My family really didn't celebrate any holidays, and the election was as bad as it gets, shoved in our faces every day. I lost all of my creativity, and I really wish I could go back to my glory days of 2007. Let's hope for a better 2017...
The stock market crash in October triggered the Great Depression, leading to widespread economic hardship. Unemployment and poverty increased significantly as a result of the economic downturn. Unless you know what it's like to live on the streets with your family and all your friends, flat broke, cold, and starving, suffering from anemia, pneumonia, and an assortment of other ailments, with absolutely no chance of seeing a paycheck for at least another few years, you have no right to say that any year in modern history is worse than 1929. It's called the "Great Depression" for a reason. Enough said.
This should be #2 due to the Great Depression, which caused people to suffer terribly. I cannot imagine how people would deal with this calamity today, and we came awfully close in 2008. Luckily, the economy recovered once it got very bad. Seriously, people don't know what it was like for the people back in this year, enduring endless human suffering.
A volcanic eruption led to a climatic downturn known as the Late Antique Little Ice Age, causing widespread crop failures and famine. The period was marked by extreme weather events and societal distress. The term "worst year ever" is often used lightly these days, typically online for trivial reasons like disappointment in the latest episode of Total Drama. However, scientists and historians have provided evidence that the year 536 A.D. deserves this title. Following a volcanic eruption in Iceland, the sun was blocked for a year and a half, leading to widespread famine. Additionally, the Yersinia plague exacerbated the situation, contributing to why historians consider it the worst year. The accompanying picture further illustrates the grim reality of that time.
Terrorist attacks on September 11 targeted the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 people. The United States initiated the War on Terror in response, leading to military actions in Afghanistan. I lost two jobs in 2001 due to the "IT recession" and had to end a relationship that I dearly loved. However, the age difference would have doomed it in the long run.
Then 9/11 happened, and things became worse - much, much worse. I did not find work until 2002, and even then, I was still depressed about 9/11.
This is due to the estimated 3,000 people who died on September 11. Approximately 2,770 individuals lost their lives in the Twin Towers, while around 200 perished at the Pentagon, and the remainder in the field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
The Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa killed thousands and created a public health emergency. Russia annexed Crimea, leading to international condemnation and sanctions. This was easily the worst year of my life - and probably for many others too. The ISIS attacks began, Russia attempted to annex Crimea, and numerous notable individuals passed away. The music was terrible, and except for the World Cup, sports were dull.
On a personal note, things were even grimmer as I was being bullied at school, had a dreadful teacher, and my family's home was under an extension, leaving us confined to two rooms in a construction zone. Additionally, in late December, my grandmother suffered a heart attack, and my mother was in a car crash (though she wasn't injured).
Reflecting on it, it truly was a horrendous year. However, all we can do now is look forward to enjoying 2016!
The Black Death arrived in Europe, leading to one of the deadliest pandemics in human history. The disease spread rapidly, killing millions and profoundly impacting society and the economy. If you lived in Europe this year or the next five years, you would certainly be dead because it was during the Black Plague, which lasted for quite a few years. The COVID pandemic isn't nearly as bad if we are being honest, not to be ignorant.
This was when the Black Death spread like wildfire throughout Europe. It was very horrid. Bodies were piling up in the streets, and all people thought about was death.
If I traveled here, don't expect to see me again. The plague was deadly. Many died on the same day they fell ill, and about 20% of the population died because of the Black Death.
Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, leading to the establishment of a totalitarian regime. The Great Depression continued, causing widespread economic distress and unemployment. Seriously, this list is awful. All the spoiled kids are voting for newer years just because of their personal lives. Yet, the Holocaust's beginning is only at 14.
Hitler's rise to power and the beginning of the Holocaust. This would also directly lead up to WWII, which would occur just a few years later (1939).
That was during the Great Depression. Four years after the stock market crash of '29, America faced poverty.
A series of terrorist attacks in Paris resulted in the deaths of 130 people and hundreds of injuries. A major earthquake in Nepal killed nearly 9,000 people and caused widespread destruction. For Canadians, it was the year Justin Trudeau somehow got elected as their prime minister. It has been a steady downhill slide for Canada and Canadian citizens. He is a completely corrupt person who is always at the center of a never-ending series of scandals, which he and his cronies are undoubtedly profiting from.
He has more than doubled Canada's federal debt, housing prices, mortgage payments, down payment costs, rent payments, and printed 600 billion dollars to massively contribute to 40-year high inflation. He has proven himself to be hopelessly incompetent at managing any aspect of government and has not achieved even a single positive or substantial accomplishment in eight long painful years.
This, of course, is no surprise when his pathetic prior employment and education experience and credentials are considered. He is a woke individual who promotes CRT, child grooming, and the alphabet+ agenda, as well as continually slandering his adversaries as racists, misogynists, and extremists, but cannot remember how many times he wore blackface. He has more than proven himself to be an arrogant, unethical narcissist and an utter disgrace to Canada.
World War II ended with the surrender of Germany and Japan, but not before the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused massive casualties. The Holocaust was fully revealed, exposing the genocide of six million Jews. Still the worst because people had to recover from the end of the war and the damage left behind. Plus, the Cold War started afterward, Holocaust prisoners contracted horrible diseases before liberation, and everything was in ruin. So, while the war ended, the world was in huge disarray.
Not as bad as 1914, 1941, and 1939 because the war ended, but it was still pretty tough that Japan got bombed.
Well, World War II still had a lot of people dying, but it ended that year, so... Eh.
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria caused extensive damage and loss of life in the United States and the Caribbean. A mass shooting in Las Vegas resulted in 58 deaths and hundreds of injuries. We had tons of killer hurricanes last year and awful movies like The Emoji Movie. Political tensions were high, and there were disastrous events - some of the worst hurricanes on record, like Irma and others. 2017 also had a political shooting, the London fire, and Trump's first year in the White House.
There were acts of racist cruelty, dog and cat meat areas spreading to other countries, and increasing tensions between North Korea and America. The flu was killing people and spreading like crazy. A bunch of Trump protesters were blocking the roads, and Pennsylvania was turning into The Purge. Want me to go on?
Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines, resulting in thousands of deaths and widespread destruction. The Boston Marathon bombing killed three people and injured hundreds. 2013 and 2014. Where do I begin?
Well, let's start off with TV shows. First, there are no longer any classic shows. Now, most of them (except SpongeBob and The Simpsons) are completely pointless. They don't even have meaning, humor, or intelligence - just nonsense. Shows were still going downhill by 95%, especially cartoons, and I think people just don't have any more good ideas for shows because they are essentially taken up by older ones.
Next, games. Thousands of games were ripoffs, and there were games getting discontinued even though they were popular. There were online games that were removed, even though they were fun. I can't believe someone would do that, or that people act like idiots because they have nothing better to do. Games that seemed fun were not even fun or working at all. Lots of games were crashing, and the developers wouldn't even fix them. Instead, they'd just be lazy and ignorant.
Speaking of laziness and ignorance, let's talk about people and education. This may be the main reason why 2013 and 2014 were extremely bad. First of all, I think education went way downhill, and people started to become lazy and unintelligent. This could be why shows and games sucked so badly you might as well give up. 2013 and 2014 were just hard to witness - they were both awful, awful years. People were running out of ideas, maybe because they were interested in the futuristic and new stuff that was coming out. I'm not sure if that's a good thing - it could be - because the future sounds awesome. But anyway, I think people don't pay attention to what their games or shows should be about. They just make them and, without warning, publish them without even double-checking! I can't believe no one does that! It's very smart to double-check your game to see if it looks great, have some test players check it, and see if it crashes.
One last thing that was pure torture in 2013 and 2014... Frozen. When Frozen came out in 2013, everyone... more
A significant earthquake struck L'Aquila, Italy, causing extensive damage and loss of life. The global financial crisis continued, leading to economic hardships worldwide. This is the year EVERYTHING went to hell. The credit crunch, stock market crash, the recession, more and more celebrities dying, the swine flu scare, the Daily Mail on the rise with its "health" addicts, the music industry destroyed - nowadays, they only care about looks and money, not heart and soul!
Hollywood falling on its knees, just EVERYTHING about this year was CRAP! Today we are still suffering from what happened in 2009! If I had a time machine, I would erase everything about 2009-2016 and go back to the 80s and 90s, even the early 00s, because the only really bad thing I remember about 2001 was 9/11.
The period from 2009-now can go buried in a grave and never be seen again!
The Spanish flu pandemic began, eventually killing tens of millions worldwide. World War I continued with significant battles and loss of life until the armistice in November. Get it above 2016. 2016 is too overhated and should be down to 30th place or something. This is the year of the Spanish flu. If I had a time machine I would avoid this year as much as possible.
What actually caused the Great War to end? It was a flu virus that killed soldiers. There were fewer soldiers to fight the war. You cannot win without soldiers to take land from your adversaries.
The year when the Spanish flu occurred.
The Plague of Justinian began, causing millions of deaths across the Byzantine Empire and beyond. The pandemic had severe social and economic impacts on the affected regions. The bubonic plague added considerably to the world's misery. Spreading from the Roman port of Pelusium in Egypt, the so-called Plague of Justinian caused the deaths of up to one-half of the population of the Eastern Roman Empire.
This was the year that the Plague of Justinian, a plague that killed up to half of the world's population, erupted.
The Plague of Justinian began this year, and I assume that the plague was named after the Byzantine Emperor Justinian.
The global financial crisis began with the collapse of Lehman Brothers, leading to severe economic downturns worldwide. Unemployment rates soared, and numerous financial institutions required government bailouts. The year 2008 marked the worst year for the global economy due to the Financial Crisis, which destroyed the prosperity of every country in the world. Businesses were affected and closed down, which was the impact, while Federal Banks struggled to cope with scarce resources. The Bush Administration still had something up their sleeves, and they were the reason why it happened. I believe George Soros was also partially responsible.
Many people might have ignored that the Lehman Brothers collapsed and Wall Street followed suit. This year has to be within the top ten worst years, I reckon.
Superstorm Sandy caused extensive damage and loss of life along the U.S. East Coast. A mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut resulted in the deaths of 26 people, including 20 children. 2012 was a good year for movies, video games, my personal life, and movie studios. However, it was a moderate year for music and TV shows, but a pretty bad year for the economy, Hurricane Sandy, the Sandy Hook tragedy, celebrity deaths, and social media going public. This is my opinion about 2012.
Moreover, every year has its good and bad aspects.
I lost my nanny - the one that I spent most of my time with because she was the kindest person ever, and she died that year. Poor New York was also hit by Hurricane Sandy. The British Isles were threatened by multiple severe floods on June 7/8, June 27/28, July 7, September 24, and November 18-26.
The Western Roman Empire fell when the last emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed. This event marked the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe. Many historians consider it the last year of ancient history and the first year of the Middle Ages in Europe. What is past is prologue.
The American Civil War started with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter. This conflict led to significant casualties and widespread destruction in the United States. The Confederacy attacked Fort Sumter, causing the Civil War to begin.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed, ending World War I but imposing harsh penalties on Germany. The Spanish flu pandemic continued to spread, causing widespread death and suffering. The post-WWI treaties may have been too harsh and may have set the stage for another war. If that doesn't convince you, then consider that there was a pandemic even worse than COVID-19.