2017 / Video / Animated history speedrun
history of the entire world, i guess
The universe, civilization, empires, and “the sun is a deadly laser” in nineteen rapid minutes.
The original is hosted off-site; this page provides context and a link to it.
What was this?
The video moves from the Big Bang through agriculture, empires, colonialism, industrialization, and modern life in a rapid collage of text, music, and animation. Its lines became widely quoted.
Why it spread
The original climbed YouTube’s trending page, then moved through Reddit, Tumblr, social feeds, reaction videos, and classrooms. People shared it both as a joke and as the unlikely history explainer they actually remembered.
What happened
The video moves from the Big Bang through agriculture, empires, colonialism, industrialization, and modern life in a rapid collage of text, music, and animation. Its lines became widely quoted.
Where it came from
Internet musician and animator Bill Wurtz released “history of the entire world, i guess” to his own YouTube channel in May 2017. It expanded his distinctive mix of abrupt history, bright text, clipped music, and cheerful non sequiturs.
Why it mattered
Bill Wurtz made internet-native editing feel like its own storytelling language: hyperactive but precise, funny without condescension, and packed with enough little musical hooks to reward repeat viewing. It is a creator-made web classic, not a format extracted from someone else.
How it spread
The original climbed YouTube’s trending page, then moved through Reddit, Tumblr, social feeds, reaction videos, and classrooms. People shared it both as a joke and as the unlikely history explainer they actually remembered.
Keep going
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