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I can't speak to much about the first part but there were many times in history that were far bloodier and violent then our time. I'll just give the 200s-400s.

In the West we had Rome. I can't go to far into the details as to why but the Roman world became far more violent as the Antonine dynasty ended. There were constant civil wars that wrought the entire nation from within and 'barbarians' began to invade, not to mention the Parthians/Sassanids who attacked from the east.

Then lets look at China. At the same time that Rome was entering her decline the Han dynasty was coming to a close because of rampant corruption, controlling eunuchs and warlords who could not be controlled. Certain events wrestled away power from the empire and into the hands of various warlords. This period, know as the Three Kingdoms Period that lasted roughly from 220-280. But even when it ended it only took one emperor (the very one who reunited China) for chaos to return and civil war was rife throughout China. This period lasted more or less until the coming of the Sui dynasty in the 600's and later the Tang.