For many, Trump’s current presidency is a scary event. Seeming to devolve into partisan tensions with more than three years to go, the current situation in America seems rather confusing and generally depressing. Though the current situation may seem bad, there have been many times in U.S. history that have been worse.
The 1970s were rife with both political and economic turmoil. There was a disastrous end to the Vietnam War, and unrest in the United States was at an all-time high. Additionally, the Watergate scandal severely reduced trust in the government and, at the same time, inflation skyrocketed. Then, there was the rationing of gas due to scarcity and the full-on crash of the economy. Though Trump’s trade wars are a bit unnerving and inflation is definitely not low, this pales in comparison to the economic issues in the 70s.
In 1962, the Cuban missile crisis was the closest that the world had come to nuclear war. People were expecting a complete nuclear war and prepping for doomsday. Today, there are several active wars, such as the ones in Ukraine and Gaza. Overall, the world is in a much more stable place, with the total number of nukes steadily decreasing due to nuclear disarmament having taken effect.
World War II was one of the most influential events in U.S. history, but living conditions during the war were not very good. The rationing of food, blackout drills in cities, and forced conscription all contributed to wartime fear. Additionally, the outcome of the war was uncertain, and though there is still uncertainty about WWIII today, it is not currently happening or as bad as the conditions during WWII.
One of the worst times to be living in America was during the great depression; unemployment hit as high as 25% and poverty and hunger ran rampant. Millions lost their homes and a massive number of dust storms in the West sent large numbers of farmers into debt. Though there is some economic hardship today, with 4.1 percent unemployment and poverty being at 11.5% it pales in comparison to the conditions of the Great Depression.
The most contentious period of U.S. history was by far the Civil War, with the country split in half over the issue of slavery. People were killing their neighbors and the future of the United States was uncertain. Over 500,000 people were killed in the conflict and the economic devastation was so large that many were unsure if they could ever recover. There are some radical partisans today, but America is nowhere near a full-scale armed conflict like the civil war.
The United States has survived a lot of hardship since its founding nearly 249 years ago. Though some may view the current situation as rather hopeless, the country has survived worse and, through unity, can get through these trying times.