Quiz

BuzzFeed Staff

Science

California's current drought is certainly historic. But how historic is it?

California's current drought is certainly historic. But how historic is it?

This Quiz Makes The California Drought Even Scarier Than It Already Is

The width of the ring is controlled by temperature and precipitation.

They created a record much larger than the kind instruments can provide.

This infamous [Kanye interruption](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z8gCZ7zpsQ) happened on Sept. 13, 2009.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since the Kanye interruption.

The Soviets launched [_Sputnik 1_](http://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/) on Oct. 4, 1957, marking the beginning of the Space Age.

There has been no drought as severe as the current one in the time since the launch of the first satellite into orbit.

The [first sighting](http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/natural_world/antarctica/antarctica/anta_age.html) of the Antarctic Peninsula was likely made by Nathaniel Palmer between 1820 and 1821. Its existence had been hypothesized since ancient times.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since the first sighting of Antarctica.

Most historians think Shakespeare's _Macbeth_ was first performed in 1606.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since _Macbeth_ was first performed.

Many historians consider Oct. 31, 1517, when Martin Luther [nailed](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/495422/Reformation) his Ninety-Five Theses on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences to the door of the Castle Church, to be the start of the Protestant Reformation.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since the Protestant Reformation began.

Machu Picchu was [likely built](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/354719/Machu-Picchu) during the reign of Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui from 1438-1471.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since Machu Picchu was built.

This [historic cold period](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/344106/Little-Ice-Age-LIA) occurred from around 1300 to 1850.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since the Little Ice Age began.

The University of Bologna [considers](http://www.unibo.it/en/university/who-we-are/our-history/university-from-12th-to-20th-century) its founding date to be 1088.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since the oldest university in existence was founded.

[The Battle of Hastings](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/256736/Battle-of-Hastings) happened on Oct. 14, 1066, and marked the beginning of Norman rule over England.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since the Battle of Hastings was fought.

[Macbeth, King of Scots,](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/353761/Macbeth) began his rule in 1040.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since Macbeth (the inspiration for Shakespeare's play) began his rule.

This [important scientific work](http://www.wdl.org/en/item/2484/) was published around 964.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since al-Sufi's astronomical text was published.

This [tumultuous period](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/208994/Five-Dynasties) happened between 907 and 960, when five dynasties followed each other in quick succession in North China and 10 regimes ruled separate regions of South China.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since the Five Dynasties period began in China.

[Charlemagne](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/106546/Charlemagne) was crowned the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in the year 800.

There has been no California drought as severe as the current one in the time since Charlemagne was crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor.

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This Quiz Makes The California Drought Even Scarier Than It Already Is

Scientists can use variations in the thickness of ancient tree rings to reconstruct past environmental conditions.

A group of scientists did that for California.

Without seeing their results, see if you can place the current drought in its proper historical context.

Did the last comparable California drought occur before or after these historic events?

800 A.D. is as far back as their tree ring data goes.

Within that whole record, there has not been a California drought as severe as the current one, the scientists say.

As each of the above events happened on or after 800 A.D., that means that they all must have happened more recently than the last comparable drought in California.

So yeah. It is no exaggeration to say that the current drought is unprecedented.