On April 10, 1815, on the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, Mount Tambora erupted vociferously. While it trembled, it shook the whole world along. However, two centuries later, the human race still fails to acknowledge its enormous impact properly.
The Tambora eruption didn’t just cause an “Year without a Summer”. It resulted in around three four years of disastrous climate changes around the whole world. All in all, its impact can be broken down into two wide categories. Firstly, the great inconvenience and suffering it caused in various corners of the world where relentless weather changes resulted in numerous deaths and starvation instances. Secondly, the rapid emergence in the field of climate study it brought where its occurrence had left many people curious.
The significance of the Tambora eruptions would have been overlooked if not for the keen eyes of many historians. They have been responsible for connecting the many dots pointing towards the Tambora eruption. While the regions nearest to Sumbawa experienced extreme heat due to lava gas clouds formed over time, people without proximity to Tambora had little idea that they also had to suffer. Their hardships are recounted in various literary forms and styles, are now just as important to historical study as they are to literature. The fact that Frankenstein was born out of Tambora can be considered a major breakthrough in our quest to fully understand the Tambora eruption.
I also say that the Tambora eruption led to wide improvement in climate study because while it caused parts of polar caps to melt, it encouraged the people that they can indeed study more about the polar caps. Thus, new scientific data accumulated in both material and non-material forms. One instance can be considered as the putting forth of the ‘Ice Age Theory’.
The argument that Tambora is revolutionary can be justified by observing the numerous lives it influenced, and still influences. However, there is an important lesson for the whole of humanity through its occurrence; Mankind does not have the right to play with nature. If it goes too far, it will pay. Remember, revolutions do occur.