1815 Eruption of Mount Tambora

In 1815, the volcano Mount Tambora on the island of Sumbawa in the Dutch East Indies erupted in the most explosive volcanic eruption in human history. The explosion affected the world's climate, changing history in surprising ways. The History Guy recalls the forgotten history of the year without a summer.
This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
You can purchase the "offshore" bow tie worn in this episode at The Tie Bar:
www.thetiebar.com/?...
All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.
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The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered is the place to find short snippets of forgotten history from five to fifteen minutes long. If you like history too, this is the channel for you.
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Script by THG
#volcano #thehistoryguy #history

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

A viewer complained that much of the footage of volcanoes were volcanoes dissimilar to Tambora. Notably, Tambora is a stratovolcano. Lava from stratovolcano eruptions tends to be very viscous and cools quickly, whereas much of the footage in the episode is from shield volcanos in Hawaii, which produce free-flowing lava. Please understand that I can only use media in the Public Domain. I did not mean to misinform the audience by using the available footage and photographs.

[@Dr_V]

I can't think of anyone else who would have bothered to clear such a small detail, your honesty and drive for accuracy is amazing, most other creators would have just ignored the nitpicking troll who posted that comment.

[@wt1370]

Lol, you can’t please everybody. Buy you give it a damn good try. Thanks for your hard work and informative interesting content

[@matturner6890]

This guy is too real. I love it.

[@gregparrott]

What? No one was aloft at altitude in the Dutch east Indies, in order to take a high fidelity, color photo of Tambora erupting, back in in 1815?? Simply amazing! :))

[@handyadams3319]

This is very reminiscent of James Burke's excellent series Connections except you have shown how the random connections have such consequences. Big fan

[@mikeknell2682]

As a geologist, I think you did a great job on explaining the 1815 Tambora eruption and after effects. As a fan of history, I really enjoyed the connections to events of the time. This is now one of my favorite episodes. Keep up the good work!

[@AlecioG]

For some scale to those who need a bit more than just the VEI index: -Mt. Saint Helen's ejected about 1 cubic km of material -Mt. Pinatubo ejected about 5 cubic km of material -The 1883 Krakatoa eruprion ejected about 45 cubic km of material -The Ilopango volcano was previously thought to have ejected about 18 cubic km of material but now has been determined to be much larger at 84 cubic km and is thought to be the likely cause of A.D. 536 cooling event and what caused the gap in Mayan stone carvings -Tambora ejected a staggering 150 cubic km of material

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

And yet Krakatoa was the loudest bang in recorded history.

[@allangibson8494]

@@neiloflongbeck5705 Krakatoa was louder because most of the volume ejected was in less than a day.

[@operator0]

Toba, also in the country of Indonesia, was larger than any of Yellowstone's last three eruption, ejecting 2,000-3,000 cubic KM of material. It erupted just 70,000 years ago and may be responsible for the genetic bottle neck found in modern "post African migration" humans. In other words, it may have nearly killed off all the humans who managed to migrate out of Africa. Toba is easily viewable from outer space as its crater is 35x100km in size and contains a massive crater lake. Fortunately, Toba is not fed by a mantel plume so the likelihood of another eruption like that is almost nill. The same cannot be said of Yellowstone or some of the other known super volcanoes around the world. Indonesia has hundreds of volcanoes. The fact that it houses so many volcanoes of VEI6-7 and even 8 eruptions makes it, perhaps, the most volcanically active place on earth.

[@WildWestGal]

@Alec Guzelimian That's great info, thanks for sharing! Do they know the cu km of Yellowstone's three big eruptions in order to compare. I found this info but don't if just multiplying those numbers against your data would be accurate: "Yellowstone has had at least three such eruptions: The three eruptions, 2.1 million years ago, 1.2 million years ago and 640,000 years ago, were about 6,000, 700 and 2,500 times larger than the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens in Washington State." Also, Mt. Mazama (now Crater Lake, Oregon), do you know how would that one compare?

[@operator0]

@@WildWestGal Yes, it's estimated that Yellowstone's last eruption was it's largest of the last three. Most volcanologists agree that it's overall deposit is smaller than Toba's at roughly 1000 cubic KMs. Incidentally, Yellowstone has had quite a few more eruptions than just the last three, but not enough is known about them to give accurate estimates of size, although some assuredly were VEI-8 eruptions. In fact, volcanologists and geologists are working on a theory that the Yellowstone hotspot is what sparked the Columbia River Flood Basalts between 20 and 10 million years ago. A flood basalt event like that would assuredly be considered higher than an 8 on the VEI scale. Possibly even higher than 10. Mt Mazama (Crater Lake) is considered to be a VEI-7. I'll look up Mazama's tephra output and compare it to Tambora in a few minutes. **edit** It appears that Mazama and Tambora were roughly the same size (about 100 cubic Km of material ejected), with perhaps Tambora being slightly larger.

[@pastorcoreyadams]

Ever since I heard about 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora it has fascinated me. It is amazing how one event can cause ripple effects that change the course of history, forever.

[@ronfullerton3162]

Just amazing how it ties all together, and effects branch out all over.

[@khaccanhle1930]

I lived close to Merapi on Java. It is a very active volcano not far down the island chain. We always felt like we were sitting near a massive grenade with a trick fuse. I nearly died of exposure on it one night, caught in a storm at 8,000 feet. I only saw old Tam' from a plane window. Too bad I missed climbing that one.

[@khaccanhle1930]

@Clarence Hamm well, I usually climbed those volcanoes at night, start at 12, summit around sunrise. Otherwise I got roasted - open grassland and bare rock higher up. Merbabu is nicer to climb than Merapi, and is over 10,000 feet.

[@khaccanhle1930]

@Bighorn44 None sounds like you have never lived there. Something we never had in Java: typhoons, or Tornadoes.

[@wt1370]

I like to walk up them backwards in the middle of the day. The view is better and I get good calf workout

[@undercoverasiant696]

@Bighorn44 None No. Some of us choose not to live near volcanoes.

[@pustakarileks7404]

If you want to see the beautiful side of Mt. Merapi don't hike at merapi, but hike at Mt. Merbabu, you will facing the great merapi beautifully. You live in Yogyakarta? Or Magelang?

[@gunslingingbird74]

That is one hell of a butterfly effect.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Well, a VEI 7 eruption is slightly larger than a butterfly...

[@lovelessissimo]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel only slightly.

[@muglymae7408]

Yeah the earth doesn’t care. It follows its own schedule

[@chrisantoniou4366]

One hell of a "butterfly"!

[@cnance1972]

Change known history BIG TIME

[@stevehansen5389]

I was working at Clark Air Base, as a civilian, when nearby Mt Pinatubo erupted. One day before the eruption we were evacuated to Subic Bay Naval Station, about 20 miles as the crow flies from the volcano. Even so the sky was completely obliterated for a day an coincidental typhoon resulted in mud raining down from above. The musd shorted out electric transformers and the grid was shut down. With no electricity the sewage lift pumps failed and raw sewage started rising out of man hole covers at the lower elevations. I was just plain nasty. Fortunately, for the US military community there was a Naval task force returning from the Gulf nearby and it was diverted to Subic and it carried of about 13,000 of us as i recall. The locals had to bear with it. Fortunately, due to the good work of the Philippine Institute of Volcanics and the US Geological Service there was adequate warning and the number of directly attributable deaths was amazingly low. I came down at Scott Air Force Base where I continued to work for another ten years. My experence tells me that when a volcano starts waking up it is time to get out of Dodge.

[@bkip20002]

I was a crew member on the USS Rodney M Davis. We pulled into Subic the day before the eruption and remember it well. We did three runs evacuating Clark families to Cebu.

[@rockhopper01]

Steve Hansen I was a young Marine in a detachment of A-6E Intruders at Cubi Point. We were evacuated back to Iwakuni Japan a few days before the eruption. We had several Marines in the Navy’s 6-week drinking rehab program, and they were left behind for 2 months.

[@bkip20002]

Nope, not big at all. In fact we actually carried more "passengers" than crew members. It was an overnight trip and we, the crew, gave up our bunks for the riders and we slept in working spaces wherever we could. The worse part was passengers getting sea sick, the majority of them were adult females and children. Surprisingly, we were given a few hours liberty each time we returned to Subic. I recall sitting in the middle of a roofless bar, at one of 3 tables, lit with candles having a warm beer.

[@ericwolf9482]

A report stated that Mt. Pinatubo put out as much air pollution in that Eruption as all the pollution of mankind of the last 200 years combined.

[@matturner6890]

@Wroger Wroger your posts are smelly

[@alliejr]

This edition of THG is reminiscent of James Burke’s “Connections” TV series from the 70s (80s?). Excellent!

[@osagejon8972]

ever so true alliejr

[@tobybartels8426]

1978/1979, and then again in 1994 and 1995. I watched that second version, which was indeed excellent!

[@cainsy8124]

Yes, wonderful isn't it?

[@coreys2686]

@@tobybartels8426 "The Day the Universe Changed" was first. That was probably 1978-79. I watched it the first time at school. Back when you signed a TV and VCR out of the library and rolled it into the class. Then there was Connections, Connections 2, and Connections 3. Connections 3 episodes were only 30 minutes long. Disappointing.

[@tobybartels8426]

@@coreys2686 : Wikipedia says that _Connections_ was in 1978/1979 and _The Day the Universe Changed_ was in 1985. (But _Connections²_ was the first one that I watched.)

[@denniswhite166]

Start with literature mix in some science and history with social studies, geography, religion, arts and economicsand a dash of mathematics and voilà THE HISTORY GUY CHANNEL has a new video. A fantastic recipe. Thanks History Guy. You make me smarter.

[@theducklinghomesteadandgar6639]

Dennis White I absolutely agree 1000%! I have always disliked history classes except for my 5th & 6th grade years where I had a teacher who taught similarly. She usually would have visuals, things from the time, and she always brought in the various aspects of life, it wasn't just this and this happened when, here's your test!! I have a big issue retaining the dates of when stuff happened, I guess, because to me, it's what happened that is what is important, not the date of when it happened. For the most part you can take any historical fact and either match it up with something going on somewhere right now, or within the recent past, or you can move the action to anywhere today and recreate it today, to today's equivalent of then and one would get about the same or very similar reaction today, especially when talking about wars.

[@patrickdunster1083]

The Duckling Homestead and Gardens I wish there could’ve been a snippet about Pirates in there, because every story is better with Pirates, or whatever his funny phrase is, lol

[@denniswhite166]

@@theducklinghomesteadandgar6639 I have the same problem with dates but it's worse now that I've gotten older.

[@denniswhite166]

@@patrickdunster1083 WoW - I forgot there were no pirates in this story!!! Even still, it was a good lesson. Arrrgh!

[@preshisify]

fantabulous channel and always interesting 🤗☕

[@Duncan_Idaho_Potato]

The "Year Without A Summer" indeed. Snow fell in Albany, NY in early June. Ice formed in rivers and frosts occurred in northern Pennsylvania in July and August. In case you're not familiar with the climate of that region of the US, temperatures during that time period are normally described as anywhere from "What a lovely warm day!" to "Jesus Christ, it's hot as balls!" The thought of frost in PA in August just boggles the mind.

[@wt1370]

I’ve lived in NEPA for 8 years but spending most of my life down south I’ve made it a point to appreciate the warm summer days regardless of the temperature. The winters are colder than a ditch diggers ass up here though

[@seththomas9105]

I spent July 4th in Gettysburg 10 years ago, hot as a furnace. It's the same climate as Iowa. Hot, humid summers, cold (used to be) snowy winters. I can't imagine frost in northern Iowa in mid and late summer. Insaine to think it.

[@cunard61]

I remember reading an article in Nature Magazine from the mid 1980's that discussed this incredible geological event. It was titled "The Far Reach of Tambora". The article went into some detail about many of the things you've discussed here. But one thing that stayed with me after reading it was the impact the eruption had on migratory birds in North America. It discussed the fact that entire flocks of birds flying North for the summer of 1816, froze to death IN FLIGHT, and fell down into the streets of New York City. They perished by the thousands. After hearing the many effects of this eruption in your video, that article's title really brings home the global scale of this unparalleled disaster.

[@rumanda36]

Did my grade 7 science project on Mt. Tambora, thank you for covering this incredible event!

[@seanlavoie2]

I never even heard of Krakatoa until I was an adult and this eruption was even worse. It's amazing how much nature made pollution can affected history. It's also shocking how something like these eruptions can become forgotten history.

[@laserbeam002]

I love the way The History Guy ties .seemingly unrelated events together to show how one event can lead to many others. Most of us, including myself, would never be able to connect those dots.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Well said....Thanks

[@GrangerGangster]

One of those past events that lends itself so well to your channel and method of story-telling. Great episode!

[@Sacto1654]

And here's the scary thing: many of the volcanoes in Indonesia are capable of the same level of eruption as Tambora did in 1815. That's because the Indonesian Archipelago sits on perhaps the most active geologic region on Earth. There are several volcanoes on the Sumatra and Java capable of massive eruptions, and the supervolcano beneath Lake Toba is *NOT* considered an extinct volcano, either.

[@pustakarileks7404]

It's save 😂, you can hike the volcanoes in java but not Mt. Merapi okay. The Toba lake is beautiful too, i live in western part of java, near that Krakatoa 😂

[@garfieldsmith332]

A great story on a piece of forgotten history. When people talk about old eruptions they always mention Krakatoa and ignore Tambora.

[@Klaatu2Too]

Some more forgotten history: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYXNnqRmerqSe8k

[@StarGazer6]

Or toba.

[@Howardhandupme]

Glad this was one of those 15 minute videos. Love stories about volcanos and how they affect us.

[@BeachsideHank]

This connection of the dots has the flavor of James Burkes' "Connections" series, where one seemingly unrelated event has a profound effect on the course of events affecting something else.

[@skydiverclassc2031]

I remember one episode of that show where he linked the development of weaving after the Plagues in Middle Ages England. In order to increase production, cards were invented that told the machines when to move the yarns so that the proper colored yarn could be inserted in the weave (very basic explanation). In time, these cards gave way to the so termed "Hollerith Characters" that were used to run programs on early computers. Fascinating stuff.

[@billmiller4972]

Exactly what I've thought!

[@004Black]

History Guy, you have a gift. I’m no climatologist or volcanologist but I was able to gain an understanding from what you presented. Great work.

[@QueenBee-gx4rp]

I used to live in Northern Vermont, and the oldtimers would tell stories they heard from their grandparents. The summer of 1816 they had snow in July and there were no crops and no food. They didn’t realize what caused it and if the following year would be the same! I don’t know how they survived!

[@soulscanner66]

That's more than just old timers stories (like the one that bears hoot or whistle). It's well documented that it led to a population decrease as homesteaders turned away from settling the margins of New England for the warmer Ohio Valley.: " Climate experts say that 1816 wasn’t the coldest year on record, but the long cold snap that coincided with the June-to-September growing season was a hardship. “The summer of 1816 marked the point at which many New England farmers who had weighed the advantages of going west made up their minds to do so,” the oceanographer Henry Stommel and his wife, Elizabeth, wrote in their 1983 book about Tambora’s global effects, Volcano Weather. If the ruinous weather wasn’t the only reason for the emigration, they note, it played a major part. They cite historian L. D. Stillwell, who estimated that twice the usual number of people left Vermont in 1816 and 1817-a loss of some 10,000 to 15,000 people, erasing seven years of growth in the Green Mountain State." www.smithsonianmag.com/history/blast-from-the-past-65102374/

[@BA-gn3qb]

They ate whichever one fell asleep first.

[@PaulRudd1941]

I love this channel for many reasons, but one that I can say is exclusive to this channel is the comment section. People share their stories relating to the history told by the History Guy and it truly gives even more depth to the video. Thank you!

[@QueenBee-gx4rp]

Matthew Terry I know...and especially in these times it’s great to exchange experiences.

[@hollymoore2517]

They survived because they are tougher than we are. They survived because they had to. They survived because we are here today.

[@BMrider75]

Thank you History Guy for taking the time to get all the geological nomenclature correct. Volcanology details clearly set out and communicated. Excellent.

[@BMrider75]

@John Barber : all volcanologists live long and prosper....... Smiles

[@kaboulscabal4816]

They're always good, but this was one of your best: Mount Tambora ... VEI ... electrostactic levitation ... Battle of Waterloo ... Mormonism ... bicycles ... Vampires ... Frankenstein ... AWESOME!

[@ArchFundy]

Awesome as always. Tks Lance. Stay well Mr. and Mrs. History Guy and everybody else.

[@jungfer27]

Now that was one of your top episodes! Not just the historical moment in time but describing its historical knock on effect really made it great.

[@seatedliberty]

All of your episodes are interesting and well researched, but this one stands out as being truly exceptional. It was, if I may borrow an expression, simply fascinating.

[@jiveturkey9993]

I'm in California and I remember Pinatubo because when the sun would go down the whole Sky would glow.

[@Paladin1873]

My brother was a navigator on a C-141 Starlifter at the time and participated in the mass evacuation of US military personnel and their dependents from the Philippines (Operation Fiery Vigil). Very little could be taken, a couple of suitcases per person. In the end we abandoned both Clark Air Base and Subic Bay Naval Base. Since 1988 the US government had been in difficult negotiations with the Philippine government over a treaty involving lease renewals for both bases. Between the acrimonious talks and the devastation wrought by the volcano, the US military decided to permanently abandon Clark. When the US refused to agree to massive increases in basing right leases, the Philippine Senate voted down the treaty, thus forcing the US Navy to leave Subic Bay by the end of 1992. Clark later became an international airport, a special economic zone, and home to the Philippine Air Force. Subic Bay is now a large industrial and commercial complex, but the recent bankruptcy of a major South Korean shipbuilding company there has left Filipino bankers owed over 400 million dollars. Two Chinese firms have offered to take over the shipyard, sparking fears within the Philippine government of what that could portend in the long run. The Philippine Navy also wants to take over the yard for military construction. As an aside, in recent years both the US Navy and Air Force have made frequent stopovers and conducted limited joint operations with the Philippine military. These acts of goodwill serve as a counterbalance to the looming Chinese juggernaut. Will history repeat itself?

[@jiveturkey9993]

@@Paladin1873 yeah I remember when they evacuated those bases and seeing the images on the news. Far as China goes I think there's some very very very powerful people of influence in our country and in government that figure we can't do anything about Chinese expansionism and growth of power so they figure we might as well join them and be subservient to them.

[@coreys2686]

@@jiveturkey9993 They don't care, as long as they profit from it. What would be worse I wonder? The fact of dictatorship or the illusion of freedom?

[@Paladin1873]

@@jiveturkey9993 I think many Americans were largely indifferent, but not anymore. Now they're mad. I believe the CCP has a very rocky future, what with the entire world pissed at them. Some countries will kowtow, others will resist. Soft power only gets you so far. It's hard to bribe or coerce a man when your actions have resulted in the death of a loved one or the loss of his livelihood.

[@jiveturkey9993]

@@Paladin1873 but their anger is misplaced so that anger is just going to be exploited by the traitors that are in power.

[@jamjamkabbam]

connecting the eruption to other major historical events at the time, absolutely blew my mind. Thank you!

[@petegossett5494]

This may be your best episode yet, I had no idea of the wide reaching & world changing consequences of this eruption!

[@lewisharty8801]

This video was one of your most compelling one yet! All the outcomes from such an event is truly staggering. Your comments on what could of happened if Napolean had not lost Waterloo in particular was eye opening to me.

[@jonathandevries2828]

"I'm the History Guy...I have a degree in history and I LOVE history...if you love history too, this is the place for you!" -Mr. Guy

[@rayceeya8659]

I'm amazed you've been doing this for so long and just now getting to the Year Without a Summer. Such a fascinating story.

[@kevinlesch9656]

This subject has fascinated me for the last few years. I expect because it was because it was never mentioned much less covered when I was in school. The first I heard of it was four years ago on the 200th anniversary of the year without summer or as I heard it referred to as 1816 and froze to death!

[@richardmcgowan1651]

Volcano's and human history are more linked than anyone knows. So many massive eruptions can be linked to the key movement of people and shift entire era's.

[@dennislogan6781]

On the Timeline channel on KZbin there is a documentary about 850 AD and how a volcano caused several world changes including the Muslim religion.

[@svchineeljunk-riggedschoon4038]

I know some scientists don't subscribe to the theory, but the 70,000bce bottleneck in human populations caused by the Toga Supervolcano is one that always interested me. I wonder how much of more modern mythology comes from the remnant of human story telling from that time...

[@3ducs]

Volcano's what? Do you mean volcanos, the plural? Or volcano's, the possessive? And era's? That which belongs to an era?

[@glenchapman3899]

There is a theory that the massive storm that wrecked the Armada in 1588 was a direct result of a volcanic eruption in the arctic circle

[@dshepherd107]

3ducs Is it 3ducs? Or 3douches?

[@LJDS1979]

The link between the eruption and the cascading sequence of human events you laid out....simply incredible. Wow. Love learning information like this!

[@SuperHigear]

That explains why my 3rd great grandfather left Vermont and moved the family to central upstate NY. Thanks History Guy! Another great video

[@keithbreuer7355]

Really shows how everything on our planet is intertwined. And some events can turn the direction of life (and then history) for all of us.

[@DanielBrown-sn9op]

Exactly. Connections in nature.

[@TomCooper]

My father's family always swore by the forecasts in the Robert B Thomas "Old Farmer's Almanac". I used to wonder why. There was a squabble between Thomas and the printer over his 1816 Almanac, resulting in the printer copying the December forecast and putting it in July. It should have finished Thomas. But when you predict a snowstorm in July in Boston, and get it right, you soon have people swearing by your forecasts. They were still doing it 150 years after the event.

[@fredherfst8148]

During my time at the weather service of Canada, we were forced, out of self defence, to do a verification study of the Almanac predictions. Wanna guess the outcome? Do you really want to know the outcome, or would you rather go back to your familiar copy of the almanac in your "comfort zone".. Meaning bathroom of course. There was, and still is no way to give detailed forecasts more than a few weeks ahead...too many butterflies and chaos. That said, today we can get easy access to highly detailed and very good 7-14 day point forecasts straight from a number of Numerical Prediction Centres and are not beatable by humans. Climate models are also becoming better and more powerful all the time. Mind you, I like some of the other fun stuff in the almanac.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

That reminds me of the merchant who had just received 300 (or so) snow shovels to the amusement of his fellow merchants just a week before the great New York City blizzard of 1888. Some people are just lucky I guess, or else had (have) a sixth sense about things.

[@O-sa-car]

eh I find that computer-aided meteorology is severely lacking as the forecasters take the information at face value and don't apply any experience or intuition

[@ellenross4413]

Although I do believe in global warming I would remind all the people worried about too hot climate all it takes to completely change that prediction is one irate volcano. So be careful what you wish for.

[@BHuang92]

In some ways, the eruption foreshadowed and later was eclipsed by a more infamous eruption that also happened in the Dutch East Indies, Krakatoa

[@khaccanhle1930]

No way. Tambora was way bigger. It just occurred at an earlier time when communication was worse.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Tambora was more explosive, and had a more notable effect on climate. The 1881 eruption of Krakatoa was a VEI 6 eruption, so Tambora ejected roughly ten times the pyroclastic material.

[@yodorob]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel Krakatoa ejected somewhat more than one-tenth as much material as Tambora, while Pinatubo ejected slightly less than one-tenth as much material as Tambora. Krakatoa ejected roughly twice (or even 3x at max) as much material as Pinatubo.

[@nicksegneri6875]

Wow. Your best one yet! Makes me look at all those world events through a different set of eyes.

[@firefighterps2]

I have learned much from my time on KZbin, but there's no doubt that THG has elevated the standard to a level equil to the finest from the BBC. Thank you sir.

[@stefanc4520]

BBC is biased mainstream media garbage. Please don't compare such filth to THG!

[@davidcolley7714]

@@stefanc4520 That is your opinion and a silly one at that

[@lowellmccormick6991]

An article in a Sky & Telescope magazine a few years ago pointed out that the anguish in Norwegian artist Edward Munch's painting, "The Scream" was do to the aftermath of the explosion of the volcano Krakatoa. Two years without a summer will do that to you. Next time you see the image, look at the background sky. After the 1964 earthquake in Alaska, the resultant tsunami was felt around the world. My dad was working at an oil tank battery in S. Louisiana and said the water came up 3 feet, twice in 24 hours. Not far away, 4 fishing boat tied to a dock in a marina sunk from the "washing machine" effect of the water in the marina.

[@servico100]

Superb episode! The science behind the History Deserves to be remembered. Thank you, Sir.

[@tonyk1584]

In 1815 Tambora erupted and it led to the year with no summer But it gave us Dracula and Frankenstein so it wasn't a total bummer

[@sschmidtevalue]

Dracula wasn't written until around 1897, although it probably wouldn't have existed without Frankenstein.

[@olbradley]

Okay so let me get this straight... The eruption of Mount Tambora affected; -The outcome of the battle of Waterloo -The outcome of nearly all future European history -Major European and thus world history -The Westward expansion -The Abolitionist movement -The creation of the bicycle -Vampire and Frankenstein pop-culture -And basically all of world political history Damn, that is one _hell_ of a butterfly effect.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

henrey well, a VEI 6 eruption is one hell of a butterfly

[@petematthews9346]

LOL! That's one of the best and most succinct responses to a viewers comments I've ever read! Thanks, History Guy!

[@rachelciel3330]

@@TheHistoryGuyChannel *VEI7

[@allen_p]

I have read two accounts of the year without a summer from farmers here in the U.S.A.. An amazing event

[@antoniomedina7175]

Sir, I really appreciate the verve and commitment with which you present these events. Impressive work, please keep it up.

[@gregggoodnight9889]

Excellent historic accuracy and description of physical and climatic relationships. Very interesting and engaging presentation without promotional hyperbole.

[@roberttoews2775]

I enjoy not only how you provide great information about moments in history, but also how you connect the dots with other events as well.

[@toddbowles8201]

I enjoy your bringing connections between historical events.

[@Lawofimprobability]

Since you're on the topic of the Dutch East Indies, perhaps an episode on the conflicts over the nutmeg trade? Nathaniel's Nutmeg is a pretty interesting account and I suspect your research on ancillary matters would give a broader perspective.

[@billmiller4972]

TimeGhost channel has a very good sequence on the history of Indonesia also discussing that topic. Very worth watching!

[@albertchehade9916]

Love the way this guy gets so interactive with his subject line....so immersive!!

[@skydiverclassc2031]

"Some say Byron was inspired by an Italian scientist's prediction that the sun would burn out and the earth was doomed. Others say it was an analogy for his failing marriage." Either way, time for another pint.

[@kencarp57]

SkydiverClassC When is it NOT time for another pint? 😋

[@fionafiona1146]

Lady Ada Lovelace has written on syntax beyond her father's range... Mainly punchcards.

[@fionafiona1146]

*syntax

[@JohnCampbell-rn8rz]

Napoleon's legacy is certainly complex & controversial. The speculation that the "progress" of civilization would have been advanced far more rapidly & universally had he won at Waterloo is just that, speculation. He was a dictator & another significant part of his legacy was the creation of a secret police force that was used as a model by the last of the absolute monarchies of the 19th century & the most repressive of the totalitarian regimes of the 20th. One wonders if his personal motivations really embraced "liberte, egalite et fraternite.' We will never know.

[@MR-nl8xr]

Most scholars are academics and most academics praise anything & everything progressive, so of course they are going to praise Napoleon and the "eutopia" that never was because he never won. Sour losers if you ask me.

[@alexmirica]

Again. Outstanding history that deserves to be remembered. If you were my history teacher when I was a child for sure I didn't become an engineer anymore! Thank you!

[@kevinmhadley]

I want to say this up front. Back in school, we learned about history as a series of dates that ran down through what we call Western Civilization. Each event, each date, was separate and distinct; something that could be put down on a test. Many years later I took a history class that expanded those events to the effect on civilization and people. I began to lament that there was no flowchart where one could look at an historic event in one place on a given date and look up what the rest of the world was like on that same date. A comparative history so to speak. I learned about that eruption and “the year without a summer” a long time ago. I learned then about the crop failures and the cold weather. But, in this episode, I learned of the effects on world politics that seems to have had a deeper effect on where are even today.

[@RedHeart64]

There have been several such events... and archaeologists have started seeing the big picture with volcanic eruptions connecting the dots over the last few decades. I'm aware of at least three or four eruptions that had impacts not only in the region - but worldwide. The eruption of Santorini is one example that had an impact far beyond the Mediterranean area. At about the same time (in the archaeological record), there were massive cultural changes - droughts ending civilizations and others forming - in China and elsewhere. Another around 600ce may have helped along Islam, as well as ended some cultures in the "Americas" and causing others to rise. Tambora... and others, have a much greater impact than people realize. It may even be that the various migrations out of Africa by early humans (or relatives) were caused by those sorts of eruptions.

[@SSmith-fm9kg]

I realized years later after getting out of school, that history is taught to us wrong. Like you said, memorize separate and distinct events, take the test, and forget everything. History is not separate, but deeply connected, and connecting the dots is incredibly interesting. Just like this video.

[@jeanrobertson1032]

Concise History of the World An Illustrated Time Line, Neil Mayan- National Geographic - is a good place to start to put world events in perspective.

[@woodspirit98]

@@RedHeart64 there is evidence of that already.

[@RedHeart64]

@@woodspirit98 There was no recognized evidence connecting volcanic eruptions to worldwide (or near-worldwide) changes until recently - last 50 years, in fact. People are finally connecting dots that weren't connected before.

[@furrymessiah]

At last, the event that spawned one of my favorite songs: "1816, The Year Without a Summer" by Rasputina.

[@baracuddasaquarium]

Many of your videos, but especially this one, remind me of the James Burke Connections TV show back in the late 70's -- one of my favorite shows. Thanks again to your channel for the astounding research and engaging presentation of not only history that deserved to be remembered, but also the interconnectedness of it all. =D

[@aleshiaraether5126]

We came upon your video while looking up the biggest eruption in history. (We are studying volcanoes this week.) I loved this! Thank you for posting. It was a way to combine history and science in one day. Awesome!

[@deanfordcreative]

Great content once again from THG. Really amazing that all of the many historical events all coincided at this time. Congratulations on your quest towards 1M subscribers. Good luck and best of health to you and your family.

[@foriddo21]

Another great video. Thank you for your accurate and unbiased portrayal of Joseph Smith.

[@JamesThompson-oz8kh]

That has to be the best presentation on that subject I have ever come across. Incredible job! Thanks, History Guy! 👍

[@sbleed]

This, and many other videos are the reason I watch everything you've posted. The insight of how we feel like we impact our planet so much, but in reality, the way the planet impacts us and our history, is much greater and should be humbling to everyone alive today, and in the future. We do not control our destiny; as much as we would like to think we do. The earth will be here long after we are gone, and we need to learn to live in harmony with it, instead of fighting against it's awesome power. Thank you. Great video.

[@rebeccapaul418]

Thank you for covering Joseph Smith and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in a favorable manner. As a member of the church I had paused the video about 2 minutes earlier to explain how Joseph's family had been affected by the climate, to my son (who is 11 and also loves your videos). Then when I heard you cover it, I called my husband and daughter in to re-watch it with us. We are all very pleased with your handling of the topic!

[@TedBronson1918]

I live in Vermont. I can't recall where, but I do remember someone referring to that year as "Eighteen hundred and froze to death". I think he was referring to a diary/journal of a deceased Vermonter or possibly an old newspaper article. It was hard times back then even when it was good times, so a year without a summer must have been bleak indeed. They couldn't grow anything and the deer and other wildlife couldn't get fattened up a bit. Still they toughed it out. It was worse than our present little shutdown w/quarantine by far.

[@jbwatson7]

"Eighteen hundred and froze to death". My father used to use that phrase. We live in central New Hampshire.

[@StephanieElizabethMann]

Thank you for tying the events of 1815 together. It made the events of the year without a summer clearer for me. So many things that happened to people across the world that were, in one way or another, a result of an eruption on an island that most of them had never seen.

[@f3xpmartian]

Must confess I Googled mapped the location. Wanted something more than "some place in the eastern Pacific". Thanks to your lessons Mr. The History Guy, I realized that this was just after the war of 1812. Keep on teaching me Mr. The History Guy. Thanks.

[@LHJlives]

Once the napoleonic wars had ended, the British were able to focus much more attention on the United States which likely hastened the end of the war.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

@@LHJlives the Napoleonic war ended in 1815, after the little remembered, outside of the USA, War of 1812 was all over.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

That country has so many volcanoes, wow. So interesting

[@MrScott1171]

Thank you for talking about the Year Without A Summer. It is History that deserves to be remembered. You forgot to mention that in the diaries of that year, some put down, "1800 and Froze to death".

[@eetadakimasu]

Love your channel, miss you're saying 'history' in the intro but it doesn't change my enjoyment of your channel! Thank you for working so hard to make this channel great!

[@g.a.c.4139]

Mr. G.- Your energy level during this episode was astonishing! I found myself on the edge of my seat, and we're talking about weather! Nicely done.

[@richardmourdock2719]

Wow!! What an amazing episode. I tuned in as a history buff and geologist but seeing those two things tied together is just outstanding. This episode is so darn excellent, I've got to re-watch it because I must have missed a reference to a pirate... because it is such a great story, it must include one. Great Job, History Guy..... And without going totally science geek, thank you for making the point the atmosphere / climate is a lot more complex than those who want to preach about just one aspect of it, say carbon dioxide, would have one believe.

[@richardgoldy854]

In the year without a summer in place is now known as Hogtown was named for its contribution to that fateful year. Located in the southern Adirondacks it had a lot of chestnut trees. The local farmers were unable to raise any food to feed their pigs that summer. As a last ditch effort to save their livestock they turned them loose in Hogtown. When they came back in the spring the pigs were thriving.

[@rockym2931]

Interesting story.

[@johnmontgomery3471]

Hogs raised exclusively on chestnuts - I bet their meat was incredibly delicious.

[@johnrodwell6355]

If it hasn't already been suggested, an episode on Krakatoa would be fascinating. Thanks again, luv your work.

[@tigertiger1699]

I could listen to you for ... my last words..., you are born for this work and service.., 🙏

[@ajc389]

The New Zealand volcano that erupted around 25,000 bc is Lake Taupo, the was a subsequent eruption around 200 ad, Roman and Chinese historians noted the striking red sunsets at the time without knowing the cause. It would be interesting to know what effect that had on global climate.

[@xvsj-s2x]

Incredible information of an event with catastrophic collateral effects on people, weather, earth and history. Wow mind grenade🤯 Thxs4sharing THG 👏

[@mrfriz4091]

Excellent presentation! I have become addicted to your channel. Please continue these informative posts. Thank you!

[@kkoratda]

This Butterfly effect history is the content I really enjoy the most from your channel. Many applauds to you.

[@markthervguy]

Interestingly my 4th and 3rd GGFs Rev. Joshua and his son Nathanial Bangs left Wheelock VT between the fall of 1815 and spring of 1816 to settle in Sweden, Monroe County New York. I never knew what caused them to leave New England to settle that far west, and this may well have been the reason.

[@leslienordman8718]

Very good, very good! You had to pull from several, disparate sources to make this video. Well done!

[@robertwilson3914]

Always greatly delivered ! I love this channel.

[@technologyinnovationandwar7583]

Possibly one of your very best, thank you!

[@sparky6086]

It should also be noted, that the Duke of Wellington, wore the aptly named "Wellingtons", which kept his feet dry, leading him to victory at the Battle of Waterloo.

[@bobbradley291]

It should also be noted that he was British.

[@dunneincrewgear]

Bob Bradley And that he was born in Dublin, Ireland.

[@bobbradley291]

Dunne in crew gear FANTASTIC. My grandfather was born India and my brother in Germany. Two stout Brits nonetheless. I would have loved to have been born in Hawaii but I’d prefer to be English nonetheless.

[@dunneincrewgear]

Bob Bradley As long as you're happy Bob, but you really should give yourself something to aim for in life....

[@dunneincrewgear]

colin minhinnick Wellington was born in 1769. The Act of Union was foisted upon Ireland (in a very literal sense) in 1801 meaning he was born into an Ireland which was 'only' a colony of Britain. The man himself regarded himself as British, a monarchist and imperialist. In light of that, how could he possibly be Irish???

[@TheSlackerHiker]

I went to hike Tambora in early 2019 and surprisingly there were lots of leeches on the trail

[@patrickdunster1083]

Great and thorough video, thank you!!

[@kathleenparr7401]

Thank You History Guy!

[@bigblue6917]

One of the reasons for the delay was that the if the cannon were used the cannon balls would just sink into the ground rather then bounce into the enemies troops, rather like lethal bowling balls. So they had to wait until the ground had time to dry. As for the notion that there would be some glorious renaissance if Napoleon had won I find hard to believe. Fighting would have continued and considering how stretched France was at getting good quality recruits France would have been slowly bled to death. Far from a great period in European history France could have collapsed leaving it open to being dismantled as a country.

[@TheHistoryGuyChannel]

Counterfactuals are always interesting. But Britain was the one opponent that had never been defeated in the wars of the coalitions. If Britain had been forced to sue for peace in 1815, it would have been devastating to the coalition, in that Britain was, essentially, the checkbook of the operation. It is quite possible that, had Wellington been defeated at Waterloo, a treaty would have followed favorable to Napoleon, that maintained peace through the last six years of his natural life. (assuming his death on St. Helena was was natural.)

[@carpediemjonah8110]

Vermont Farmer's Almanac calls it the year it snowed in July. You mentioned the solar nadir. Some climatologists refer to that period as a time of a grand solar minimum. Grand solar minimums are characterized by cooling of earth's temperatures, earthquakes, and major volcanic explosions. The dramatic climate effects of grand solar minimums lead to major crop losses, and ultimately to malnutrition and plagues. Grand solar minimums are put in motion by a cooling of the sun, and a distinctive lack of solar sunspots. When the sun cools, our planet and other planets go through these types of upheavals.

[@leebarnes655]

Guess what? We've had our grand solar minimum - did you notice a single thing? The sun has reversed polarity and we are going to be ramping up in sun spots. spaceweatherarchive.com/2019/12/25/reversed-polarity-sunspots-appear-on-the-sun/

[@dabeej88]

Again thank you for all your hard work in bringing us this history.

[@TravisDoomGuide]

I’ve been reading a History of the Saints and it mentions the year without a summer as a major cause Joseph Smith Sr to move to New York. Very good research.

[@geoffreysavitz1278]

Thank you so much for mentioning Joseph Smith and the impact that the volcanic eruption had on his life. I am LDS and it is always nice to hear a smidgen of our history! Also I absolutely love your videos and any history on Napoleon is a great thing to listen to!

[@siglerleslie]

I loved the use of the correct name of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I love the history guy and the fact that the church is a big enough for a mention in his videos is awesome

[@ronjones-6977]

dum dum dum dum dum

[@stevebengel1346]

The last time I was this early, Mary Shelley had yet to write the last chapter of Frankenstein

[@elizabethsohler6516]

You've been alive that long ? I'm impressed.

[@adalai7649]

Superb episode! I really appreciated learning how this affected events that shaped our modern world. Every time I watch an episode, I think of how different a person I would be today if I had learned history this way when I was in school.

[@ozziegarcia6262]

One of the best works to come from this informative source. Well done.

[@mk14m0]

Of course, if the weather were drier, not only Napoleon but also Blucher would have moved faster and arrived sooner, possibly compensating for Napoleon’s hypothetical faster movement. Meanwhile, the hagiography of Napoleon ought to be tempered by some context; he talked the talk of egalitarianism, but his *actions* were to assume dictatorial power in France and to invade and seek conquest in nations all across Europe and even in the Middle East; his wars killed an estimated 2 million people, including an entire generation of young French men.

[@Ofelas1]

Another great (hi)story told, many thanks. Wellington Army was composed of German Units that made just over 50% of the troops, with the Scots and Dutch the English were therefore a minority. The Prussians (Germans) had already fought a battle with Napoleon earlier on in Waterloo, and were the decisive force in the battle.

[@grendelgrendelsson5493]

@@Ofelas1 Wellington's army was and is recognised as a British led coalition army. Britain supplied 25,000 British and 6,000 King's German Legion troops . 17,000 Netherlanders, 11,000 Hanovarians, 6,000 Brunswickers and 3,000 Nassauers made up the rest. Blucher arrived with 50,000 Prussians. However, Wellington commanded, Blucher arrived and Napoleon lost. A splendid result.

[@grophers1189]

I was just talking about this today with a customer and saying this is all that 2020 needs to really get things exciting again lol

[@wt1370]

One thing for sure, if and when it happens Trump will catch the blame

[@wtglb]

W T haha, no doubt! 😆

[@pablopenasco4254]

Awesome video! It gave me goose bumps thinking of the changes it affected in our history.

[@wendychavez5348]

So much involved! You help put it into perspective.

[@humbleevidenceaccepter7712]

1992 is also known (at least in Michigan) as the year without a summer, due to the effects of Mt. Pinatubo's eruption. It was the coldest summer recorded, since records started in 1895. A temp of 57 degrees (F) for July occurred at Sault Ste. Marie, the coldest since records started there in 1823.

[@ellenross4413]

That summer was very cool and rainy in central New York State. I was working for a large regional department store then in Ithaca NY. The summer before we couldn't get enough swimsuits and summer clothes. This is a vacation spot with parks and lakes, lots of summer fun. 1992 we had heaps of swimsuits for markdown. I think they eventually shipped what was left to the stores in the south. I think that was the summer my furnace came on for awhile every night.