This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things Quiz

Answer: Pliny the Younger

Much of what is known about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius is credited to the letters Pliny the Younger sent to his friend that included many details of the aftermath. Pliny the Younger was from a very wealthy and highly regarded Roman family. His wealth and privilege allowed him the luxury of education and position throughout his life. Pliny the Younger was guided (as a young man) by his uncle, Pliny the Elder - who lost his own life in the disaster. Well into the 21st century, the area around Mount Vesuvius continues to be of interest to both curious tourists and skilled archeologists.

It has been estimated that more than 1,500 people died; although, there has been no totally accurate way to determine the death toll.

Answer: 1346-1353

The knowledge and practices of health, medicine and basic hygiene of Medieval Europe - which included the years 1346-1353 - were unable to deter the devastating pestilence as it spread through parts of Asia, northern Africa and into Europe. The bubonic plague was an infectious type disease characterized by tender swelling of any of the lymph nodes but particularly the nodes of the armpits and/or groin area. Untreated, the disease caused high fevers, vomiting, delirium and black boils that secreted blood and pus.

Not limited to humans, this enzootic disease also infected livestock animals, such as cows, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens with such intense effects upon the entire population, it has been said to have changed the course of history.

There has been little to compare to The Great Plague.

Answer: London

What became known as The Great Fire of London burned between September 2 and September 6 of 1666. It was generally accepted a bakery (or, then called a bakehouse) on Pudding Lane, near London Bridge, was the source of the blaze. It was believed to have started when a spark from an oven fell onto a pile of fuel during the early hours of the morning.

The weather did more harm than good. It has been said the strong easterly wind actually "fanned" the fire. The homes of as many as 85% of the (then) residents of London were destroyed. St. Paul's Cathedral was completely destroyed by the fire with only remnants of the original house of worship remaining.

Answer: Potato

Those catastrophic eight years became known as the Irish Potato Famine. Potatoes were introduced to the continent of Europe during the late 16th century and by the beginning of the 18th century was considered a major crop there - especially in Ireland. Potatoes grew easily in mediocre soil and in cooler climate of Ireland.

As a food source, potatoes offered not only that readily abundance they were very cheap to grow and provided a very bulky foodstuff. Perfect for the peasants - grows well with little effort at minimal costs and can provide a hearty meal.

Hence the desolation from the absence of the crop. The famine was caused by a fungus type blight that obliterated more than one-half of Ireland's potatoes during the first year and continued to become worse as the next seven years passed.

It has been estimated that as much as three-fourths of the potato crop rotted in the fields during the seasons of 1846 to 1852. Although Ireland had been governed as a part of the United Kingdom for decades when the blight began - and, its disastrous potential became apparent - much has been written about how little the British government did to aid the Irish people during those years.

Answer: China

The Huang He River is also known as the Yellow River. In the early 21st century, the Yellow River was the second longest river in China and the sixth longest river system in the world. The Yellow River flows in a (mostly) west to east direction across nine of China's provinces.

It is a very slow moving and muddy appearing river that deposited a lot of river silt as it slowly flowed. The World History Project explained it very well: "For centuries, the farmers living near the Yellow River had built dikes to contain the rising waters, caused by silt accumulation on the riverbed.

In 1887, this rising riverbed, coupled with days of heavy rain, overcame the dikes on around 28th September, causing a massive flood." That flood killed (at least) 900,000 people and destroyed the homes of more than two million people.

It was estimated that (as many as) another one million died from famine, disease, displacement and disaster directly resulting from the flood.

Answer: 1906

At the time of the earthquake - 1906 - San Francisco was the (USA's) west coast's largest city. Wikipedia describes it as: a city (at the time) "known for its flamboyant style, stately hotels, ostentatious mansions ... and a thriving arts scene". When the earthquake struck the force was incredible.

The noise level was something to which no one could compare. The (moment) magnitude level was set at 7.9 but other estimates have given its magnitude level as high as 8.25. The damage from the quake was tremendous but just as damaging was the fire (due to gas lines bursting and then igniting).

The fire burned for four days and was only quelled then by rain. It was estimated that as many as 85% of the population of San Francisco lost their homes - or as many as 300,000 people. That was just in San Francisco; many other areas suffered equally proportionate damage.

Answer: Influenza (i.e. flu)

The 1918-19 Flu Pandemic is said to have killed more people than the Great War (World War I). The numbers that correspond to the percentages mentioned in the question are between 20 million and 40 million deaths. It has been estimated as many as 500 million people were infected by the virus.

When the virus was circling the globe there was no vaccine to offer immunization against influenza infection; neither were there antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections that were associated with influenza infections.

Although it was the 20th century much was yet to be learned about personal hygiene, use of disinfectants, limiting exposure of the already infected and quarantine of those who continued to spread the flu. This flu was determined to be an H1N1 virus.

It has also been called "Spanish Flu" and "La Grippe".

Answer: The Dust Bowl

The Dust Bowl was the name given to the period of drought that devastated the Great Plains of North America. For decades farmers and ranchers had ignored what modern day geology calls "aeolian processes". Very simply stated, that is the winds of an area can dry, move, erode and deposit material that is on the surface of the earth. What was once a wonderland to feed livestock and grow crops became a desert with little or no topsoil remaining.

The backlash was tremendous - no crops, no livestock, loss of human life, plagues and illnesses were rampant.

The most severe droughts of those Dust Bowl years were during 1934, 1936 and 1939-1940.

Answer: Africa

The African Drought was a direct cause of the African Famine of the same time period. As the rivers and lakes - sources of water for all life - evaporated crops and livestock died. People of those twenty nations succumbed not only to the arid climate and lack of water but many, many people died from the resulting famine. Estimates said as many as 20,000 people starved to death each month during this drought. Going into the 21st century, pleas came from around the world that hoped to work with those nations so each could practice better water conservation and possibly avoid another devastating drought/famine.

Answer: Katrina

The year 2005 became a record breaking season for hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean. It was labeled the "most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history". While considering such weather phenomena, Hurricane Katrina was a significant force. Well into the beginning of the 21st century it was still one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes on record to make landfall in the contiguous United States and at the time of its destruction it was the most costly U.S. hurricane on record.

It was also said to have been the "strongest hurricane ever recorded".