The ministry’s chronology

Chronological Evidence

Natural Disasters, Crime & World Events — 1844–2026

This selected chronology brings together world events from 1844 onward for historical and Bible study. The sanctuary study explains why 1844 is significant: Christ then entered the most holy place to begin the closing work of atonement. The event list is not a complete record of disasters or a statistical measure of their increase.

The Great Controversy describes calamities and a coming conflict over worship and God’s law. Its warning also directs us to Scripture, repentance, and Christ’s protection. Read the surrounding chapters to understand the sequence and purpose of the warning.

Study note · The Great Controversy, chapters 36–39

Study the context: The Great Controversy, 589.1–591.2 · The Great Controversy, 593.1–599.3 · The Great Controversy, 621.1

Historical entries and inherited quotations have separate source requirements. Entries without source links remain unverified. See Sources and scope for the remaining verification limits.

The Beginning of the End

Era 1 of 6 · 1844-1869

These entries cover 1844–1869. The significance of 1844 rests on the sanctuary prophecy: Christ entered the most holy place to begin the closing work of atonement and the investigative judgment. The disasters listed here do not supply the calculation of that date.

Study the context: The Great Controversy, 422.1

“The enemy has worked, and he is working still. He is come down in great power, and the Spirit of God is being withdrawn from the earth.”
Ellen G. White, Sermons and Talks 1:109 (1889)
Attribution retained from the original chronology; source is outside this review’s two books and awaits verification. Document date is stated in its attribution where available; placement beside a year does not establish a prediction of that event.

Filter by event type

90 events in 26 years

18445 events

Link to 1844

Prophetic Events
PROPHETIC MILESTONE: End of the 2,300-day prophecy (Daniel 8:14); Christ enters the Most Holy Place to begin the investigative judgment
Ministry interpretation — study the biblical and EGW sources in the 1844 study.
Prophetic Events
October 22: The Great Disappointment—Millerites expected Christ's return
Ministry interpretation — study the biblical and EGW sources in the 1844 study.
Floods
GREAT FLOOD OF 1844: Largest flood in recorded history of the Missouri and Upper Mississippi Rivers; widespread destruction
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Floods
June: Mississippi River floods St. Louis and surrounding areas
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Disease & Pandemic
Wyandot Indians suffer 100+ deaths from diseases following the flood
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18453 events

Link to 1845

Fires
July 14: Massive fire in New York City; saltpeter explosion kills unknown number; 1,000 buildings destroyed
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Famine
Irish Potato Famine begins (1845-1852)—will kill approximately 1 million
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Storms & Hurricanes
September: Hurricane strikes Florida, causes significant damage
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18463 eventsIncludes EGW quotation

Link to 1846

Famine
Irish Famine intensifies; mass emigration begins
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
War & Conflict
Mexican-American War begins (1846-1848)
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Earthquakes
June: Major earthquake strikes Mexico
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

Related religious writing

“In the days of Noah the overwhelming majority was opposed to the truth, and enamored with a tissue of falsehoods. The land was filled with violence. War, crime, murder, was the order of the day. Just so will it be before Christ's second coming.”
Ellen G. White, The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 1:1090 (1891)
Attribution retained from the original chronology; source is outside this review’s two books and awaits verification. Document date is stated in its attribution where available; placement beside a year does not establish a prediction of that event.

18473 events

Link to 1847

Famine
Irish Famine reaches peak mortality; "Black '47" claims hundreds of thousands
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Crime & Violence
Donner Party tragedy in Sierra Nevada—starvation and cannibalism
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Disease & Pandemic
Typhus epidemic sweeps through Ireland and emigrant ships
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18484 events

Link to 1848

War & Conflict
Revolutions sweep across Europe—France, Germany, Italy, Austria-Hungary
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Crime & Violence
California Gold Rush begins—lawlessness and violence in mining camps
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Earthquakes
Major earthquake in Turkey
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Disease & Pandemic
Cholera epidemic begins spreading worldwide (1848-1849)
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18493 events

Link to 1849

Disease & Pandemic
Cholera pandemic reaches North America; kills tens of thousands
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Crime & Violence
Gold Rush violence intensifies in California
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Fires
Major fire destroys much of St. Louis
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18503 eventsIncludes EGW quotation

Link to 1850

Other Disasters
June 17: Steamer Griffith fire on Lake Erie; all 300 aboard perish
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Disease & Pandemic
Cholera epidemic continues; reaches epidemic proportions in many U.S. cities
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Fires
Great Fire of San Francisco (first of many)
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

Related religious writing

“The terrible reports we hear of murders and robberies, of railway accidents and deeds of violence, tell the story that the end of all things is at hand.”
Ellen G. White, Letter 308, 1907
Attribution retained from the original chronology; source is outside this review’s two books and awaits verification. Document date is stated in its attribution where available; placement beside a year does not establish a prediction of that event.

18514 events

Link to 1851

Fires
Multiple fires devastate San Francisco
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Fires
Fires destroy portions of Marysville, California
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Disease & Pandemic
Cholera continues to claim lives across America
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Storms & Hurricanes
Major hurricane strikes Jamaica
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18524 events

Link to 1852

Fires
Great Fire in Sonora, California
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Fires
Sacramento's Great Fire devastates the city
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Other Disasters
Steamboat explosions continue to claim hundreds of lives
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Famine
Irish Famine officially ends—death toll estimated at 1 million+
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18535 events

Link to 1853

Other Disasters
Explosion of the Jenny Lind steamboat
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Floods
Major floods in California valleys
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Other Disasters
Sinking of the Winfield Scott
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Other Disasters
December 24: Steamer San Francisco founders; 240 of 700 passengers drown
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Disease & Pandemic
Yellow fever epidemic in New Orleans kills thousands
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18544 eventsIncludes EGW quotation

Link to 1854

Other Disasters
Wreck of the Yankee Blade
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Other Disasters
November 13: Immigrant ship New Era wrecks off New Jersey coast; 300+ dead
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Disease & Pandemic
Cholera epidemic in London; Dr. John Snow traces source
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
War & Conflict
Crimean War intensifies; massive casualties
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

Related religious writing

“God has not restrained the powers of darkness from carrying forward their deadly work of vitiating the air, one of the sources of life and nutrition, with a deadly miasma.”
Ellen G. White, Selected Messages 3:391 (1891)
Attribution retained from the original chronology; source is outside this review’s two books and awaits verification. Document date is stated in its attribution where available; placement beside a year does not establish a prediction of that event.

18554 events

Link to 1855

Other Disasters
Explosion of the Pearl steamboat
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Disease & Pandemic
Yellow fever epidemic spreads through U.S. South
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Crime & Violence
"Bleeding Kansas" violence begins—prelude to Civil War
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Earthquakes
Major earthquake in Japan
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18564 events

Link to 1856

Other Disasters
Explosion of the Belle steamboat
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Fires
Great Nevada City Fire in California
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Storms & Hurricanes
Hurricane strikes Last Island, Louisiana—over 200 dead
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Crime & Violence
Continued violence in Kansas Territory
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18574 events

Link to 1857

Earthquakes
January 9: Fort Tejon earthquake (M7.9)—largest in Southern California history
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Other Disasters
September 12: SS Central America sinks in hurricane; 425+ dead; $2 million in gold lost
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Economic Crisis
Financial Panic of 1857 causes widespread economic distress
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Crime & Violence
Mountain Meadows Massacre—120 emigrants killed
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18583 eventsIncludes EGW quotation

Link to 1858

Fires
Disastrous fires in Downieville, California
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Other Disasters
Shipwreck of the Lucas
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Disease & Pandemic
Major epidemic in Central America
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

Related religious writing

“Satan is working in the atmosphere; he is poisoning the atmosphere, and here we are dependent upon God for our lives—our present and eternal lives.”
Ellen G. White, Selected Messages 2:52 (1890)
Attribution retained from the original chronology; source is outside this review’s two books and awaits verification. Document date is stated in its attribution where available; placement beside a year does not establish a prediction of that event.

18592 events

Link to 1859

Other Disasters
September 1-2: Carrington Event—massive solar storm; telegraph systems fail worldwide
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
War & Conflict
John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry—prelude to Civil War
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18604 events

Link to 1860

Other Disasters
Lady Elgin disaster on Lake Michigan; 300+ dead
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
War & Conflict
Abraham Lincoln elected President—Southern secession begins
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Earthquakes
Major earthquake in Mendoza, Argentina; thousands killed
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
War & Conflict
First New Zealand Wars begin
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18613 eventsIncludes EGW quotation

Link to 1861

War & Conflict
AMERICAN CIVIL WAR BEGINS—will claim 620,000+ lives
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Floods
Major flood in California (1861-1862)
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
War & Conflict
July: First Battle of Bull Run—590 dead
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

Related religious writing

“War, crime, murder, was the order of the day. Just so will it be before Christ's second coming.”
Ellen G. White, The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 1:1090 (1891)
Attribution retained from the original chronology; source is outside this review’s two books and awaits verification. Document date is stated in its attribution where available; placement beside a year does not establish a prediction of that event.

18623 events

Link to 1862

Floods
California Great Flood transforms Central Valley into inland sea
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
War & Conflict
Battle of Antietam—bloodiest single day in American history; 22,717 casualties
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
War & Conflict
Sioux Uprising in Minnesota; 500+ settlers killed
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18633 events

Link to 1863

War & Conflict
Battle of Gettysburg—51,000 casualties
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Crime & Violence
New York City Draft Riots—120+ dead
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Prophetic Events
May 21: Seventh-day Adventist Church officially organized
Ministry interpretation — study the biblical and EGW sources in the 1844 study.

18644 events

Link to 1864

Other Disasters
Explosion of the Washoe steamboat
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Crime & Violence
Sand Creek Massacre—150+ Cheyenne and Arapaho killed
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Storms & Hurricanes
September: Hurricane devastates Calcutta, India; 70,000 dead
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
War & Conflict
Civil War continues with massive casualties
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18653 eventsIncludes EGW quotation

Link to 1865

Crime & Violence
April 14: President Abraham Lincoln assassinated
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Other Disasters
April 27: Steamboat Sultana explodes; 1,800 dead—worst maritime disaster in U.S. history
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
War & Conflict
Civil War ends—total dead: 620,000+
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

Related religious writing

“Famines will increase. Pestilences will sweep away thousands. Dangers are all around us from the powers without and satanic workings within, but the restraining power of God is now being exercised.”
Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases 19:382 (1897)
Attribution retained from the original chronology; source is outside this review’s two books and awaits verification. Document date is stated in its attribution where available; placement beside a year does not establish a prediction of that event.

18664 events

Link to 1866

Other Disasters
Deadly explosion in San Francisco
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Earthquakes
May 12: Major earthquake in Turkey (Bingöl region)
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Disease & Pandemic
Cholera epidemic spreads through Europe and America
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Famine
Famine in Algeria (1866-1868)—820,000 deaths
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18674 events

Link to 1867

Earthquakes
December 18: Taiwan earthquake and tsunami
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Famine
Swedish Famine begins (1867-1869)
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Storms & Hurricanes
Hurricane strikes St. Thomas; 600 dead
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Disease & Pandemic
Yellow fever epidemic in multiple U.S. cities
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18682 events

Link to 1868

Earthquakes
October 21: Hayward earthquake devastates San Francisco Bay area
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Earthquakes
August: Peru-Chile earthquake and tsunami; 25,000+ dead
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

18692 eventsIncludes EGW quotation

Link to 1869

Storms & Hurricanes
October 4-5: Saxby Gale strikes Bay of Fundy region
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.
Economic Crisis
Black Friday financial panic
Historical entry — individual source verification pending.

Related religious writing

“The Lord will arise to shake terribly the earth. We shall see troubles on all sides. Thousands of ships will be hurled into the depths of the sea. Navies will go down, and human lives will be sacrificed by millions.”
Ellen G. White, Messages to Young People, 89, 90 (1890)
Attribution retained from the original chronology; source is outside this review’s two books and awaits verification. Document date is stated in its attribution where available; placement beside a year does not establish a prediction of that event.

Ministry commentary

Watchfulness, faith, and hope

The Great Controversy warns that calamities will become more frequent and disastrous and describes the final conflict over worship. That prophetic teaching must be read in its context. A selected historical list does not, by itself, demonstrate the trend or establish that every event was individually predicted.

The final plagues follow the close of Christ’s intercession; they should not be confused with every present-day disaster. While He ministers for us, we are called to repent, trust His righteousness, obey His Word, and care for those who suffer.

The message ends in hope. Christ will deliver His people, sin and death will be destroyed, and God will make all things new. Our purpose in studying prophecy is to follow Jesus faithfully and share His saving message.

The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean.

Ellen G. White · The Great Controversy, 678.3 · excerpt

Study the context: The Great Controversy, 678.3

Even so, come, Lord Jesus! · Revelation 22:20

Sources and scope of this chronology

The teaching notes were reviewed against The Great Controversy, chapters 18–42, and Steps to Christ. Those books do not document every modern event or casualty figure in this chronology. Entries without a historical source link remain unverified.

Tangshan has been corrected to 1976, Black Sunday to 1935, and the California wildfire comparisons have been revised using USGS, National Weather Service, and CAL FIRE records. General 2026 trend statements have been removed from the event count.

Two timeline quotations from The Great Controversy were checked against their original paragraphs. The other 46 quotation placements cite works outside these two books; their inherited attributions remain pending verification. A quotation placed beneath a year may have been written later and does not establish that it predicted that event.

This is a selected chronology. It does not independently establish a statistical increase in disasters or identify every entry as a specific fulfillment of prophecy.

Reviewed September 14, 2026 · 566 selected entries.

Read the biblical basis for 1844