Decades of the 20th and 21st Centuries

The 1980s were a time of tremendous growth and prosperity. The Cold War ended. The human population on earth was the largest it had ever been. Computers and video games became readily available. Cable television brought a diversity of entertainment to the American household. Severe social, economic, and military pressures forced the Soviet Union to abandon its longstanding political doctrine. Although the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded and the worst nuclear power accident in history occurred in Chernobyl, the 1980s were a decade filled with wild style and economic stability, ushering in a new wave of hope for the future.

From the invention of the motorcar and the widespread use of the radio to Albert Einstein's theory of relativity and Charlie Chaplin's entertaining silent films, the 1910s held more promise than any decade before it. But the sinking of the Titanic, the eruption of World War I, race riots, and the deadly Spanish flu pandemic proved there were growing pains to be experienced. Explore the people and events of one of the most unique periods in history.

Dust storms ravaged the Great Plains, and the economy crashed, leaving thousands unemployed, homeless, and hungry. Nazism began its rise to power in Germany, and a hurricane devastated New England. The 1930s were a time of enormous devastation, but also of great progress. Franklin D. Roosevelt promised a New Deal for America. Amelia Earhart attempted to become the first woman to fly around the world. Walt Disney began a media empire that would change entertainment forever. The 1930s would shape America and the world, with each new policy and invention creating the backdrop for a new world power.

For the first time ever, human beings were in control of their environment. Airplanes, trains, and the first diesel engines let people go faster and farther than ever before. The birth of modern art and sound recording promised new cultural heights, while the invention of jazz music and the popularization of low-cost photography managed to bring societies closer together. This decade, from its arts and fashion to its politics and technological advancements, would help shape a culture and set the stage for the century ahead.

The first decade of the new millennium ushered in an age of unprecedented amounts of information through the Internet and electronic media. The US was attacked in 2001, changing the face of New York City forever. There was economic slowdown, political divisiveness, and unprecedented terrorism. US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq achieved their initial goals, then devolved into bloody guerrilla conflicts. International competition for energy resources escalated dramatically. Then, in 2008, a time of change began when Barack Obama was elected president. As the 2000s moved forward, people changed the way they socialized, worked, and even entertained.

Suffragettes won women the right to vote in the United States. Babe Ruth was the biggest name in sports. The "Lost Generation" created music and literature that would speak to everyone. Prohibition created gangsters and mob bosses. And silent films gave way to talking ones. The 1920s was a decade full of idealization, prosperity, and creativity, leading a generation of Americans out of war and into a golden age.

The 1970s were a time of protest and change. President Nixon broke the law and caused the Watergate scandal, American dependency on oil increased, and the military draft sent thousands of young men to fight in Vietnam. But 1970s were happy times, too. The nation celebrated two hundred years of independence. Audiences enjoyed hit films such as Star Wars and Jaws. People dressed in funky clothes and danced to the beat of disco music.

A decade of invention, adaptation, and creation, the 1940s were also a time of world conflict. From big band music, bobbysoxers, and Frank Sinatra to World War II, Rosie the Riveter, and the atomic bomb, readers will trace the changing attitudes of Americans through the decade. See how World War II helped end the poverty and despair of the Great Depression, ushering in a new time of prosperity in which Americans felt comfortable pursuing dreams of home ownership and family.

The 1960s were an exciting and unsettling time for America. Hippies protested the Vietnam War, astronauts walked on the moon, and Martin Luther King, Jr., lead the way to equal rights for African-Americans. Soldiers battled in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Inspirational leaders fell victim to assassins' bullets. The Bay of Pigs invasion and ensuing Cuban Missile Crisis pushed the world toward nuclear war. The Beatles changed rock 'n' roll forever.

The economic prosperity and technological advancement of the 1990s were counterbalanced by a sharp rise in terrorism. Following a military and diplomatic triumph in the first Persian Gulf War, Americans focused largely on domestic issues. Despite enhanced communications through the Internet, the world was slow to react to growing humanitarian crises in Africa and the Balkans. Grunge and hip-hop dominated the music scene. The last decade of the 20th century embodied Americans' excitement and fears for the future.