The infamous Donner Party, stranded in snow, turned to cannibalism. On this day, the last known victim, George Donner, perished in the mountains.

💀 May – Captain Donner Dies on the Trail (May 14, 1847)

Explorer Robert Falcon Scott and his men perished in the freezing wastelands of Antarctica—just after discovering they’d lost the race to the South Pole.

❄️ November – Scott’s Antarctic Team Dies (Nov 12, 1912)

During a naval demonstration, a cannon exploded on a U.S. warship, killing several government officials—just feet from President John Tyler.

🛥 February – The USS Princeton Explosion (Feb 28, 1844)

Et tu, Brute? The Ides of March became infamous as Caesar was stabbed by his own Senate allies. Ambition + betrayal = a very bad day.

⚔️ March – Julius Caesar Assassinated (Mar 15, 44 BCE)

Caught in the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon became the first U.S. president to resign. He left office in disgrace—but narrowly escaped prosecution.

🔫 August – Nixon Resigns the Presidency (Aug 9, 1974)

A bakery spark led to a days-long inferno that destroyed 80% of London. The silver lining? It wiped out the rats spreading the plague.

🔥 September – Great Fire of London Begins (Sept 2, 1666)

Due to a miscommunication, British cavalry charged directly into Russian cannons. It was brave. It was poetic. It was a disaster.

⚰️ October – The Charge of the Light Brigade (Oct 25, 1854)

“Because no matter how horrible your day’s been, it’s probably not as bad as what happened to these poor souls.”

Captured and tried for heresy, the young French heroine was executed by her enemies. Decades later, she was declared a saint.

🔥 April – Joan of Arc Burned at the Stake (Apr 30, 1431)

The English monarch paid the ultimate price for clashing with Parliament. His execution shocked Europe and marked a turning point in the English Civil War.

☠️ January – King Charles I Beheaded (Jan 30, 1649)

The first successful nuclear bomb test in New Mexico introduced the world to a new kind of destruction. Oppenheimer quoted the Bhagavad Gita: “Now I am become Death.”

💣 July – Trinity Test Unleashes Atomic Era (July 16, 1945)

Bad Days in History reminds us: history is not just glory and progress—it's often cruel, ironic, and absurd. These stories deliver perspective with a punch of dark humor.

🔚 Final Insight

Freezing, starving, and decimated by disease and guerrilla attacks, Napoleon's Grand Army limped out of Russia. Of 600,000 men, fewer than 100,000 returned.

☃️ December – Napoleon’s Retreat from Russia (Dec 14, 1812)

"Bestselling author of A Treasury of Royal Scandals Michael Farquhar uncovers an instance of bad luck, epic misfortune, and unadulterated mayhem tied to every day of the year in this engrossing compendium of history's worst moments. From Caligula's blood-soaked end to hotelier Steve Wynn's unfortunate run-in with a priceless Picasso, Bad Days in History delves into the past to present 365 delightfully told tales of historically bad days. Michael Farquhar's cleverly written entries draw from the full sweep of history to take readers through a complete year of misery, including tales of lost fortunes (like the would-be Apple investor who pulled out in 1977 and missed out on a $30 billion-dollar windfall), romance gone wrong (like the 16th-century Shah who experimented with an early form of Viagra with empire-changing results), and truly bizarre moments (like the Great Molasses Flood of 1919). Catchy headlines draw readers into each entry and 100 photographs and illustrations illuminate particularly memorable bad days including the hopeful debut ads for the Ford Edsel, the special one-finger salute Korean POW's designated for their unwitting captors, and the campaign photo that literally tanked Michael Dukakis's presidential campaign. Bad Days in History delivers true tales of these days and many more in a fascinating volume that is perfect for history lovers, trivia buffs, and anyone who thinks they might be having a historically bad day. Trust us, it gets worse"--

MICHAEL FARQUHAR, BAD DAYS IN HISTORY

Similar ideas

Reignite Your Thoughts - Day 167

Realize that with some people it isn’t about you and what you do (no matter what you do).

Put things into perspective