Top 3 Historical US Debt Spikes

Significant spikes in U.S. national debt occurred during the Civil War, World War II, and the 2008 financial crisis followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the debt-to-GDP ratio reaching a post-WWII peak of 113% in 2020.

Sources

• History of the United States public debt - Wikipedia
• The Consequences of Debt | The U.S. House Committee on the Budget
• Understanding the National Debt | U.S. Treasury Fiscal Data
• U.S. National Debt by Year (1790-2026) - USA National Debt Clock

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