The Worst Episodes of Crash Course: World History

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Worst Episode
   Click to reveal

   REVEAL THE WORST
   

   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #1 - Population, Sustainability, and Malthus: Crash Course World History 215

   S2:E1511/7/2014

   John Green teaches you about population. So, how many people can reasonably live on the Earth? Thomas Malthus got it totally wrong in the 19th century, but for some reason, he keeps coming up when we talk about population. In 1800, the human population of the Earth passed 1 billion, and Thomas Malthus posited that growth had hit its ceiling, and the population would level off and stop growing. He was totally right. Just kidding, he was totally wrong! There are like 7 billion people on the planet now! John will teach a little about how Malthus made his calculations, and explain how Malthus came up with the wrong answer. As is often the case, it has to do with making projections based on faulty assumptions. Man, people do that a lot.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
2. 

   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #2 - Charles V and the Holy Roman Empire: Crash Course World History 219

   S2:E1912/5/2014

   John Green teaches you about the Holy Roman Empire by teaching you about Charles V. Charles Hapsburg was the Holy Roman Emperor, but he was also the King of Spain. And the King of Germany. And the King of Italy and the Lord of the Netherlands and Count Palatine of Burgundy. In short, Charles was runnin' thangs in much of the world during his reign. Charles ruled a lot of countries, and he was also known for encouraging intellectual discourse and even spoke out against slavery, in a limited way. So why did he consider himself a failure, and why did he break up the Empire when he abdicated in 1556? Mainly because the Holy Roman Empire didn't work very well. It was huge, and it didn't have any means of directly raising taxes. Plus, it was a pretty crazy time in Europe anyway, and Charles found himself in charge of the Catholic-Church-Endorsed Empire during the time of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
3. 

   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #3 - Japan in the Heian Period and Cultural History: Crash Course World History 227

   S2:E273/4/2015

   John Green teaches you about what westerners call the middle ages and the lives of the aristocracy...in Japan. The Heian period in Japan lasted from 794CE to 1185CE, and it was an interesting time in Japan. Rather than being known for a thriving economy, or particularly interesting politics, the most important things to come out of the Heian period were largely cultural. There was a flourishing of art and literature in the period, and a lot of that culture was created by women. The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu was the classic piece of literature of the day, and it gave a detailed look into the way the Aristocrats of the Heian period lived. While this doesn't give a lot of insight into the lives of daily people, it can be very valuable, and the idea of approaching history from a cultural perspective is a refreshing change from the usual military or political history that survives from so many eras.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
4. 

   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #4 - Nonviolence and Peace Movements: Crash Course World History 228

   S2:E283/13/2015

   John Green teaches you about nonviolence and peace movements in the 20th century. What is nonviolence? What is a peace movement? Well. traditionally, humans often resort to violence when they come into conflict. In the 20th century, it became much more common for people to enact change by means of nonviolence, and there was a common thread of connection between many of the most notable advocates of peaceful change. Crash Course will take you from Gandhi to Gregg to Bayard Rustin to Martin Luther King, Jr, to the Cold War to Arab Spring along a path of nonviolent resistance and peaceful change. It's pretty great.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
5. 

   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #5 - Capitalism and the Dutch East India Company: Crash Course World History 229

   S2:E293/18/2015

   John Green teaches you about the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, doing business as the VOC, also known as the Dutch East India Company. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Dutch managed to dominate world trade, and they did all through the pioneering use of corporations and finance. Well, they did also use some traditional methods like violently enforced monopolies, unfair trade agreements, and plain old warfare. You'll learn how the Dutch invented stuff like joint stock corporations, maritime insurance, and futures trading. Basically, how the Dutch East India Company crashed the US economy in 2008. I'm kidding. Or am I?

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
6. 

   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #6 - Democracy, Authoritarian Capitalism, and China: Crash Course World History 230

   S2:E304/4/2015

   John Green teaches you about the end of World History, and the end of the world as we know it, kind of. For the last hundred years or so, it seemed that one important ingredient for running an economically successful country was a western-style democratic government. All evidence pointed to the idea that capitalist representative democracies made for the best economic outcomes. It turns out that isn't the only way to succeed. In the last 40 years or so, authoritarian capitalism as it's practiced in places like China and Singapore has been working really, really well. John is going to look at these systems and talk about why they work, and he's even going to make a few predictions about the future. Also, thanks for watching this series. It has been amazingly fun to create, and we appreciate all of you.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
TRENDING NOW
The 20 BEST Episodes of Crash Course: World History
READ
7. 

   5.6/10(16 votes)

   #7 - Alexander the Great: Crash Course World History #8

   S1:E83/15/2012

   You are introduced to the life and accomplishments of Alexander the Great, his empire, his horse Bucephalus, the empires that came after him, and the idea of Greatness. Is greatness a question of accomplishment, of impact, or are people great because the rest of us decide they're great?

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
8. 

   6.1/10(13 votes)

   #8 - Latin American Revolutions: Crash Course World History #31

   S1:E318/23/2012

   John Green talks about the many revolutions of Latin America in the 19th century. At the beginning of the 1800s, Latin America was firmly under the control of Spain and Portugal. The revolutionary zeal that had recently created the United States and had taken off Louis XVI's head in France arrived in South America, and a racially diverse group of people who felt more South American than European took over. John covers the soft revolution of Brazil, in which Prince Pedro boldly seized power from his father, but promised to give it back if King João ever returned to Brazil. He also covers the decidedly more violent revolutions in Mexico, Venezuela, and Argentina. Watch the video to see Simón Bolívar's dream of a United South America crushed, even as he manages to liberate a bunch of countries and get two currencies and about a thousand schools and parks named after him.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
9. 

   6.2/10(15 votes)

   #9 - 2,000 Years of Chinese History! The Mandate of Heaven and Confucius: World History #7

   S1:E73/8/2012

   John introduces you to quite a lot of Chinese history by discussing the complicated relationship between the Confucian scholars who wrote Chinese history and the emperors (and empress) who made it. Included is a brief introduction to all the dynasties in Chinese history and an introduction to Confucius and the Confucian emphasis on filial piety, the role the mandate of heaven played in organizing China, and how China became the first modern state.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
10. 

    6.3/10(15 votes)

    #10 - Buddha and Ashoka: Crash Course World History #6

    S1:E63/1/2012

    John relates a condensed history of India, post-Indus Valley Civilization. John explores Hinduism and the origins of Buddhism. He also gets into the reign of Ashoka, the Buddhist emperor who, in spite of Buddhism's structural disapproval of violence, managed to win a bunch of battles.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
11. 

    6.4/10(13 votes)

    #11 - Venice and the Ottoman Empire: Crash Course World History #19

    S1:E195/31/2012

    John Green discusses the strange and mutually beneficial relationship between a republic, the city-state of Venice, and an Empire, the Ottomans--and how studying history can help you to be a better boyfriend/girlfriend. Together, the Ottoman Empire and Venice grew wealthy by facilitating trade: The Venetians had ships and nautical expertise; the Ottomans had access to many of the most valuable goods in the world, especially pepper and grain. Working together across cultural and religious divides, they both become very rich, and the Ottomans became one of the most powerful political entities in the world. We also discuss how economic realities can overcome religious and political differences (in this case between Muslims and Christians), the doges of Venice, the sultans of the Ottoman empire, the janissaries, and the so-called slave aristocracy of the Ottoman Empire, and how money and knowledge from the Islamic world helped fuel and fund the European Renaissance.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
12. 

    6.4/10(12 votes)

    #12 - Communists, Nationalists, and China's Revolutions: Crash Course World History #37

    S1:E3710/4/2012

    John Green teaches you about China's Revolutions. While the rest of the world was off having a couple of World Wars, China was busily uprooting the dynastic system that had ruled there for millennia. Most revolutions have some degree of tumult associated with them, but China's 20th-century revolutions were REALLY disruptive. In 1911 and 1912, Chinese nationalists brought 3000 years of dynastic rule to an end. China plunged into chaos as warlords staked out regions of the country for themselves. The nationalists and communists joined forces briefly to bring the nation back together under the Chinese Republic, and then they quickly split and started fighting the Chinese Civil War. The fight between nationalists and communists went on for decades and was interrupted by an alliance to fight the invading Japanese during World War II.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
13. 

    6.4/10(8 votes)

    #13 - Luther and the Protestant Reformation: Crash Course World History 218

    S2:E1811/29/2014

    John Green teaches you about the Protestant Reformation. Prior to the Protestant Reformation, pretty much everyone in Europe was a Roman Catholic. Not to get all "great man," but Martin Luther changed all that. Martin Luther didn't like the corruption he saw in the church, especially the sale of indulgences, so he left the church and started his own. And it caught on! And it really did kind of change the world. The changes increased literacy and education, and some even say the Protestant Reformation was the beginning of Capitalism in Europe.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
14. 

    6.5/10(13 votes)

    #14 - Tea, Taxes, and The American Revolution: Crash Course World History #28

    S1:E288/2/2012

    John Green teaches you about the American Revolution and the American Revolutionary War, which it turns out were two different things. John goes over the issues and events that precipitated rebellion in Britain's American colonies, and he also explores the ideas that laid the groundwork for the new American democracy. Find out how the tax bill from the Seven Years' War fomented an uprising, how the Enlightenment influenced the Founding Fathers, and who were the winners and losers in this conflict. (hint: many of the people living in the Colonies ended up losers) The Revolution purportedly brought freedom and equality to the Thirteen Colonies, but they weren't equally distributed. Also, you'll learn about America's love affair with commemorative ceramics and what happens when rich white guys take the reins from rich white guys and put together a society of, by, and for rich white guys.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
15. 

    6.6/10(14 votes)

    #15 - Islam, the Quran, and the Five Pillars: Crash Course World History #13

    S1:E134/19/2012

    John Green teaches you the history of Islam, including the revelation of the Qu'ran to Muhammad, the five pillars of Islam, how the Islamic empire got its start, the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and more. Learn about hadiths, Abu Bakr, and whether the Umma has anything to do with Uma Thurman (spoiler alert: it doesn't). Also, learn a little about the split between Sunni and Shia Muslims, and how to tell if this year's Ramadan is going to be difficult for your Muslim friends. Let's try to keep the flame wars out of this reasoned discussion.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
16. 

    6.6/10(16 votes)

    #16 - The Dark Ages...How Dark Were They, Really?: Crash Course World History #14

    S1:E144/26/2012

    John Green teaches you about the so-called Dark Ages, which it turns out weren't as uniformly dark as you may have been led to believe. While Europe was indeed having some issues, many other parts of the world were thriving and relatively enlightened. John covers European Feudalism, the cultural blossoming of the Islamic world, and the scientific and artistic advances in China, all during these "Dark Ages." Along the way, John will raise questions about the validity of Europe's status as a continent, reveal the best and worst years of his life, and frankly state that science and religion were once able to coexist.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
17. 

    6.6/10(13 votes)

    #17 - Int'l Commerce, Snorkeling Camels, and The Indian Ocean Trade: Crash Course World History #18

    S1:E185/24/2012

    John Green teaches you the history of the Indian Ocean Trade. John weaves a tale of swashbuckling adventure, replete with trade in books, ivory, and timber. Along the way, John manages to cover advances in seafaring technology, just how the monsoons work, and there's even a disembowelment for you Fangoria fans.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
18. 

    6.7/10(14 votes)

    #18 - Christianity from Judaism to Constantine: Crash Course World History #11

    S1:E114/5/2012

    John Green teaches you the history of Christianity, from the beginnings of Judaism and the development of monotheism, right up to Paul and how Christianity stormed the Roman Empire in just a few hundred years. Along the way, John will cover Abram/Abraham, the Covenant, the Roman Occupation of Judea, and the birth, life, death, and legacy of Jesus of Nazareth. No flame wars! Let's keep the commentary civil.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
19. 

    6.7/10(12 votes)

    #19 - Russia, the Kievan Rus, and the Mongols: Crash Course World History #20

    S1:E206/7/2012

    John Green teaches you how Russia evolved from a loose amalgamation of medieval principalities known as the Kievan Rus into the thriving democracy we know today. As you can imagine, there were a few bumps along the road. It turns out that our old friends the Mongols had quite a lot to do with unifying Russia. In yet another example of how surprisingly organized nomadic raiders can be, the Mongols brought the Kievan Rus together under a single leadership and concentrated power in Moscow. This set the stage for the various Ivans (the Great and the Terrible) to throw off the yoke and form a pan-Russian nation ruled by an autocratic leader. More than 500 years later, we still have autocratic leadership in Russia. All this, plus a rundown of some of our favorite atrocities of Ivan the Terrible, and a visit from Putin!

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
20. 

    6.7/10(15 votes)

    #20 - Haitian Revolutions: Crash Course World History #30

    S1:E308/16/2012

    Ideas like liberty, freedom, and self-determination were hot stuff in the late 18th century, as evidenced by our recent revolutionary videos. Although freedom was breaking out all over, many of the societies that were touting these ideas relied on slave labor. Few places in the world relied so heavily on slave labor as Saint-Domingue, France's most profitable colony. Slaves made up nearly 90% of Saint-Domingue's population, and in 1789 they couldn't help but hear about the revolution underway in France. All the talk of liberty, equality, and fraternity sounded pretty good to a person in bondage, and so the slaves rebelled. This led to not one but two revolutions and ended up with France, the rebels, Britain, and Spain all fighting in the territory. Spoiler alert: the slaves won. So how did the slaves of what would become Haiti throw off the yoke of one of the world's great empires? John Green tells how they did it, and what it has meant in Haiti and in the rest of the world.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
21. 

    6.8/10(15 votes)

    #21 - The Roman Empire. Or Republic. Or...Which Was It?: Crash Course World History #10

    S1:E103/29/2012

    John Green explores exactly when Rome went from being the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire. Here's a hint: it had something to do with Julius Caesar, but maybe less than you think. Find out how Caesar came to rule the empire, what led to him getting stabbed 23 times on the floor of the senate, and what happened in the scramble for power after his assassination. John covers Rome's transition from city-state to dominant force in the Mediterranean in less than 12 minutes. Well, Rome's expansion took hundreds of years, he just explains it in under 12 minutes. The senate, the people, Rome, the caesarian section, the Julian calendar, and our old friend Pompey all make appearances, but NOT the Caesar Salad, as Julius had nothing to do with it.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
22. 

    6.8/10(14 votes)

    #22 - The French Revolution: Crash Course World History #29

    S1:E298/9/2012

    John Green examines the French Revolution, and gets into how and why it differed from the American Revolution. Was it the serial authoritarian regimes? The guillotine? The Reign of Terror? All of this and more contributed to the French Revolution not being quite as revolutionary as it could have been. France endured multiple constitutions, the heads of heads of state literally rolled, and then they ended up with a megalomaniacal little emperor by the name of Napoleon. But how did all of this change the world, and how did it lead to other, more successful revolutions around the world? Watch this video and find out. Spoiler alert: Marie Antoinette never said, "Let them eat cake." Sorry.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
23. 

    6.8/10(12 votes)

    #23 - Capitalism and Socialism: Crash Course World History #33

    S1:E339/6/2012

    John Green teaches you about capitalism and socialism in a way that is sure to please commenters from both sides of the debate. Learn how capitalism arose from the industrial revolution, and then gave rise to socialism. Learn about how we got from the British East India Company to iPhones and consumer culture in just a couple of hundred years. Stops along the way include the rise of industrial capitalism, mass production, disgruntled workers, Karl Marx, and the Socialist Beard. The socialist reactions to the ills of capitalism are covered as well, and John discusses some of the ideas of Karl Marx, and how they've been implemented or ignored in various socialist states. Plus, there are robots!

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
24. 

    6.9/10(19 votes)

    #24 - Mesopotamia: Crash Course World History #3

    S1:E32/9/2012

    John presents Mesopotamia and the early civilizations that arose around the Fertile Crescent. Topics covered include the birth of territorial kingdoms, empires, Neo-Assyrian torture tactics, sacred marriages, ancient labor practices, the world's first law code, and the great failed romance of John's undergrad years.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
25. 

    6.9/10(15 votes)

    #25 - The Silk Road and Ancient Trade: Crash Course World History #9

    S1:E93/22/2012

    John Green teaches you about the so-called Silk Road, a network of trade routes where goods such as ivory, silver, iron, wine, and yes, silk were exchanged across the ancient world, from China to the West. Along with all these consumer goods, things like disease and ideas made the trip as well. As is his custom, John ties the Silk Road to modern life, and the ways that we get our stuff today.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown