Throughout human history, there have been many world events that have seen a multitude of deaths and widespread destruction. The ten entries on this list are ranked according to the number of deaths. While some of the events spanned just a few years, others occurred over centuries.Since these death toll estimates are always highly disputed, I have made it a rule to use the highest respectable estimate in every case. I have also chosen to focus this list on ‘man-made’ events – natural disasters have not been included.





1- Atlantic Slave Trade
Death Toll Estimate: 15 Million

The Atlantic (or Trans-Atlantic) slave trade began roughly in the 16th century, reaching its peak in the 17th century until finally being all but abolished in the 19th Century. The main driving force behind this trade was the need for European empires to establish themselves in the New World. European and American settlers therefore began to use mainly West African slaves to fill the vast labor needs on plantations. Estimates vary on the amount of slaves who died, but it is said that for every ten slaves taken on a ship, four would perish from causes related to mistreatment.

2- Late Yuan Warfare & Transition to Ming Dynasty
Death Toll Estimate: 30 Million


The Yuan dynasty was founded by Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, around 1260. Yuan literally translates as ‘Great is the Heavenly and Primal’, though there proved to be nothing either great or heavenly about it.The dynasty turned out to be one of the shortest-lived in the history of China, covering just a century until it fell in 1368. Chaos reigned during the twilight years of the Yuan Dynasty, and the lands were marked by warring tribes, outlaws, political struggle, famine, and bitterness among the populace. After all this carnage, the Ming Dynasty took control. Their reign is described by some as “one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history.”

3- An Lushan Rebellion
Death Toll Estimate: 36 Million


Around 500 years before Yuan, the Tang Dynasty was in control of China. An Lushan – a general in the north of China – sought to take control, and declared himself emperor (creating the Yan Dynasty). The An Lushan rebellion lasted from 755 until 763, when the Yan Dynasty was finally defeated by the Tang empire. Medieval warfare was always a bloody affair – and this rebellion was no exception. Millions died and the Tang Dynasty never fully recovered.

4- Taiping Rebellion
Death Toll Estimate: 40 Million


Jump forward a thousand years and the Chinese are at it again – this time with some help from the French, the British, and some American mercenaries. In 1850, the Qing Dynasty is now in charge of China. They had suffered some major problems before the rebellion, with natural and economic disasters causing havoc – not to mention the Europeans bringing opium addiction to China. So up stepped Hong Xiuquan, who amongst other things claimed to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ. Hong established the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom – and the carnage began. The Taiping Rebellion happened at roughly the same time as the American civil war, though the latter conflict proved to be far less bloody.

5- Great Chinese Famine
Death Toll Estimate: 43 Million


Another century later and we’re now in a Communist-led China. The period 1958 to 1961 is also know as ‘the great leap forward’ – and it’s a sombre lesson in what can happen when a government attempts to change a country too quickly.Although droughts and poor weather conditions led to the famine, the disaster can quite easily be seen as a consequence of the government’s attempts to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a modern communist society. Chinese peasants describe this period as the ‘three bitter years’, which is something of an understatement. Several decades later the Chinese economy became the largest in the world – but at quite a price.

6- Soviet Crimes
Death Toll Estimate: 49 Million


Here is another example of a disaster caused by a country with a vast population trying to change its economic and social landscape in a very short period. Under the Soviet Union, from 1917 to 1953, millions of Russians died at the hands of revolution, civil war, famine, forced resettlement and other crimes. One man can take most of the blame: Joseph Stalin.His desire to build a new and better country at any cost – and to keep hold of the power he had gained – was a direct cause of the majority of casualties under Soviet rule. It is hard to fathom how, in 1948, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

7- Mongol Conquests
Death Toll Estimate: 60 Million

If there is one man who could be said to have more blood on his hands than anyone else in history, it is Genghis Khan. Under the leadership of Khan (and successors after his death), the Mongol empire grew into the largest land empire the world has ever seen – at its peak covering 16% of the Earth. The Mongol army swept across Asia, killing its rivals with great ferocity for the best part of two centuries. The death toll would certainly have been much higher if the Mongols had continued to progress west and into Europe.Aside from all the killing, it wasn’t all bad under Mongol rule – with religious tolerance given to most faiths, as well as tax breaks for the poor.

8- World War 1
Death Toll Estimate: 65 Million


Although other wars had come close quite a few times, this was the first truly global war. The causes of the ‘great war’ are varied and rather complicated, but suffice it to say that in 1914 when the various European empires began to get too big for each other, they decided to form two vast alliances and fight it out for dominance.Europe became divided, and dragged the rest of the world into its rapidly widening sinkhole. Outdated warfare tactics were deadly to the soldiers involved: these young men would often be ordered to walk very slowly towards the opponent’s machine-gun fire. When the war finished in 1918, Europe and the world began to count the cost of so many lost lives. Most agreed that this madness could never happen again…

9- World War 2
Death Toll Estimate: 72 Million


Having taken a break from fighting for a few years, ‘total war’ broke out again in 1939. The two teams divided again into vast forces, and called themselves the Allies and the Axis. During the short break before the war, each country had decided to build some new killing machines – taking to the skies and to the sea, and developing more efficient land-based vehicles as well as automatic weapons their soldiers could now carry. And as if this wasn’t enough, a certain country decided to build a very big bomb. The Allies eventually ‘won’ the war, though 85% of the death toll came from their side, with the Soviet Union and China seeing the greatest casualties. The majority of deaths also came outside of the combat zone, and can therefore be attributed to war crimes.

AND OUR NUMBER 1 SPOT DEM THIS GUYS BAD OH!!!

1- European Colonization of the Americas
Death Toll Estimate: 100 Million


When Christopher Columbus, John Cabot and other explorers in the 15th century found a new continent, it must’ve seemed like the dawn of a new age. Here was a new paradise that adventurous Europeans could call their new home. There was, however, one problem: this land already had an indigenous population.Over the following centuries, the seafaring Europeans brought vast death tolls to what is now referred to as North and South America. Although war and invasion can account for a hefty chunk of these casualties, it was the natives’ lack of immunity to European diseases that caused the most deaths. Some estimates state that 80% of the Native American population died as a result of contact with Europeans.[url][/url]http://listverse.com/2013/01/03/10-deadliest-world-events-in-human-history/

You're fvcking right!! Esp the Columbus thang. . . Europeans killed Americans with diseases than with Guns

you learn new tings erry day


#Bookmarked

Why is it that I don't see the colonization of Africa making that list. Oh well, this is quite intresting..............

Mehn!

21st century kids shud be thankful nd count their self lucky



I witnessed 1st nd 2nd world war nd escaped unhurt luckily
It's nt something anyone wud wnt to xperience

SirWere:
Why is it that I don't see the colonization of Africa making that list. Oh well, this is quite intresting..............

number 1

ok

sinaj:
Mehn!

21st century kids shud be thankful nd count their self lucky



I witnessed 1st nd 2nd world war nd escaped unhurt luckily
It's nt something anyone wud wnt to xperience

Were you killed?

abduljabbar4:


Were you killed?

nods head



I lost my baby too


But am back to look for her

and they all involve kaffirs! smh

This your list is so incomplete. Did you ever hear of the "Black Death"? It is regarded as one of the most devastating pandemics ever.

Rather than discuss it,I will leave you with a link.The death toll from this pandemic was quite simply,staggering!!

Please see the link below:


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death

The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people and
peaking in Europe in the years 1346– 53.[1][2][3] Although there were several competing theories as to the etiology of the Black Death, analysis of DNA
from victims in northern and southern
Europe published in 2010 and 2011
indicates that the pathogen responsible was the Yersinia pestis bacterium, probably causing several forms of plague.[4][5] The Black Death is thought to have
originated in the arid plains of Central Asia, where it then travelled along the Silk Road, reaching Crimea by 1343.[6] From there, it was most likely carried by Oriental rat fleas living on the black rats that were regular passengers on merchant ships. Spreading throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, the Black Death is estimated to have killed 30–60% of Europe's total population.[7] In total, the plague reduced the world population from an estimated 450 million down to 350–375 million in
the 14th century. The world population
as a whole did not recover to pre- plague levels until the 17th century.

I was also wondering why the black death wasn't included. Cc lalasticlala

.

Sheikwonder:
This your list is so incomplete. Did you ever hear of the "Black Death"? It is regarded as one of the most devastating pandemics ever.

Rather than discuss it,I will leave you with a link.The death toll from this pandemic was quite simply,staggering!!

Please see the link below:


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death

the op earlier stated that he was listing man-made cat astrophes and not spontaneous pandemic outbreaks like the bubonic plague

tartar9:
and they all involve kaffirs! smh

is that the reason your islamiya brethrens ( abubakar al baghadi and zawahiri) are trying to create such feat by slaughtering both kaffirs and mumin alike? they shall ultimately fail and die a perilous death just like that blood-thirsty arab ped ophile and his faithful subject (osama "son of" laden) did.

Angelou:
the op earlier stated that he was listing man-made cat astrophes and not spontaneous pandemic outbreaks like the bubonic plague

That's what I thought too,until I saw the "great chinese famine" on the list which you'll agree,is a natural disaster...

Angelou:
[s]is that the reason your islamiya brethrens ( abubakar al baghadi and zawahiri) are trying to create such feat by slaughtering both kaffirs and mumin alike? they shall ultimately fail and die a perilous death just like that blood-thirsty arab ped ophile and his faithful subject (osama "son of" laden) did.[/s]

and what is this product of pigs saying

Sheikwonder:


That's what I thought too,until I saw the "great chinese famine" on the list which you'll agree,is a natural disaster...

the famine was more of a man-orchestrated disaster since the chinese population were (under the influence of mao zedong) diverted from agricultural activities to industrial ones thereby leading the nation to famine due to decrease in food production

tartar9:
and what is this product of pigs saying

i never expected any better statement from a muslim like you.
HATE - that's what you and your creed are known for.
point of correction, i think you are the adherent of pseudo-religion established by an arab who drank water dug out by a pig

Angelou:
i never expected any better statement from a muslim like you.
HATE - that's what you and your creed are known for.
point of correction, i think you are the adherent of pseudo-religion established by an arab who drank water dug out by a pig

drinking water dug out by a pig Muslims don't even touch anything touched by a pig.try again.

Sheikwonder:
This your list is so incomplete. Did you ever hear of the "Black Death"? It is regarded as one of the most devastating pandemics ever.

Rather than discuss it,I will leave you with a link.The death toll from this pandemic was quite simply,staggering!!

Please see the link below:


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death

tain God pipo with small sense still dey diss una nairaland. juss imagine! didn't mention black death. didn't mention bubonic plague. OP goan study small pox and measles in the early Americas after the arrival of Columbus and his Vespussy gang . no go library o! just common Wikipedia. the last two killed more than ANY AND EVERY war ever in the history of the continent.