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1999

Law20th CenturyNorth America

U.S. Senate Acquits President Clinton

Following the House of Representatives' approval of two articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton in December 1998 for perjury and obstruction of justice related to the Monica Lewinsky scandal, the Senate conducted a trial presided over by Chief Justice William Rehnquist. The proceedings featured witness testimony, legal arguments, and intense partisan debate over whether the charges met the constitutional standard of 'high crimes and misdemeanors.' On February 12, 1999, the Senate voted on the articles; neither secured the required two-thirds majority for conviction, with 45-55 on perjury and 50-50 on obstruction. Clinton remained in office to complete his second term. The outcome underscored the political nature of impeachment and the high bar for removing a president.

Event DetailAmerica 250 Atlas
1999

Civil Rights20th CenturyNorth America

Canada Creates Nunavut Territory

Decades of Inuit advocacy for self-determination in the eastern Arctic culminated in negotiations with the Canadian federal government. A 1992 plebiscite approved dividing the Northwest Territories, followed by parliamentary legislation in 1993. On April 1, 1999, the new territory of Nunavut officially came into existence, encompassing roughly two million square kilometers of land and adjacent waters. The Inuit received title to substantial portions of the territory through the accompanying land claims agreement, along with financial compensation and resource rights. The creation established a public government with strong Inuit representation that reflects the territory's demographics. Nunavut became Canada's third territory and the largest by land area.

Event Detail
1999

Disaster20th CenturyNorth America

Record-Breaking F5 Tornado Strikes Oklahoma City Area

Central Oklahoma experienced ideal conditions for violent supercell thunderstorms on May 3, 1999, with strong wind shear and instability fueling an outbreak. The most destructive storm produced an exceptionally powerful F5 tornado that touched down southwest of Oklahoma City around 6:23 p.m. CDT. It tracked 38 miles through Bridge Creek, Moore, and southern Oklahoma City suburbs, attaining peak winds of 321 mph measured by mobile Doppler radar—the highest ever recorded in a tornado. The twister destroyed thousands of homes, prompted the National Weather Service's first-ever tornado emergency declaration, and caused 36 direct fatalities plus extensive injuries before dissipating after 85 minutes.

Event DetailDisaster Kit Pro
2001

Disaster21st CenturyNorth America

Al-Qaeda Launches Coordinated Attacks on U.S.

Nineteen hijackers affiliated with al-Qaeda seized four commercial airliners departing East Coast airports. Two struck the World Trade Center towers in New York, causing their collapse and killing nearly 3,000 people total. A third plane hit the Pentagon in Virginia, while passengers on the fourth overpowered the hijackers, forcing the aircraft down in a Pennsylvania field. The coordinated strikes represented the deadliest terrorist attack in history and the first major foreign assault on the U.S. mainland since 1812.

Event Detail
2003

Disaster21st CenturyNorth America

Space Shuttle Columbia Disintegrates on Reentry

NASA’s Columbia orbiter had completed a 16-day microgravity science mission and began its return from orbit on February 1, 2003. During launch, a piece of insulating foam had struck the left wing, damaging heat-shield tiles, though the issue went undetected in orbit. As the shuttle reentered the atmosphere over Texas and Louisiana, superheated gases penetrated the wing structure and caused catastrophic breakup. All seven crew members—six Americans and one Israeli—perished. Debris scattered across a wide area, prompting a lengthy investigation and two-year shuttle grounding.

Event Detail
2005

Exploration21st CenturyNorth America

NASA Launches Deep Impact Spacecraft

NASA's Discovery Program sought innovative, cost-effective missions to explore the solar system, including comets whose composition could reveal clues about the early solar system. The Deep Impact spacecraft, built by Ball Aerospace and the University of Maryland team, was designed with a flyby probe and a detachable impactor. On January 12, 2005, it launched from Cape Canaveral aboard a Delta II rocket, beginning a journey of over 400 million kilometers. The mission aimed to study Comet Tempel 1 by releasing the impactor to collide with the nucleus and excavate subsurface material for analysis. The probe successfully reached its target in July 2005, providing groundbreaking data on cometary structure.

Event DetailDaily Earth View
2005

Disaster21st CenturyNorth America

Hurricane Katrina Devastates U.S. Gulf Coast

Hurricane Katrina formed in the Atlantic and strengthened rapidly over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico in late August 2005. Forecasters tracked its path toward the central Gulf Coast, where levees and infrastructure in New Orleans were known to be vulnerable. On August 29, the Category 3 storm made landfall near the Louisiana-Mississippi border with sustained winds of 125 mph, driving a massive storm surge. Levees in New Orleans failed the following day, leading to widespread flooding that submerged much of the city.

Event DetailDisaster Kit Pro
2006

Technology21st CenturyNorth America

Twitter Social Media Platform Officially Launches

In early 2006 the San Francisco podcasting company Odeo developed a side project called Twttr, a short-messaging service allowing users to send 140-character updates to groups via SMS. On July 15, 2006, Odeo publicly released the service to the general public. Early adopters quickly embraced the real-time microblogging format, which differed from longer-form platforms then dominant. Within months the platform—soon renamed Twitter—gained traction among tech enthusiasts, journalists, and celebrities. Its simple, open API encouraged rapid third-party development and integration, accelerating its growth into a global communication network.

Event Detail
2007

Technology21st CenturyNorth America

Apple Releases the First iPhone

In the mid-2000s, mobile phones primarily handled calls, texts, and basic media while personal digital assistants offered limited computing. Apple, under Steve Jobs, sought to merge phone, music player, and internet device into a single intuitive product. On June 29, 2007, the company launched the original iPhone in the United States with a multi-touch interface, full web browser, and app ecosystem foundation. Priced at $499 for the 4GB model and $599 for 8GB, it sold out quickly despite limited initial features like no third-party apps or copy-paste. The device reshaped consumer expectations for smartphones almost immediately.

Event DetailAmerica 250 Atlas
2008

Civil Rights21st CenturyNorth America

U.S. House Apologizes for Slavery and Jim Crow

Centuries of chattel slavery followed by decades of Jim Crow segregation left profound legacies of racial inequality in the United States. In the 21st century, growing calls for formal acknowledgment of these historical injustices gained traction in Congress. On July 29, 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution apologizing for slavery and the subsequent discriminatory laws that enforced racial segregation. The measure expressed regret for the fundamental injustice and cruelty of slavery while recognizing the lasting impact on African American communities. It stopped short of offering reparations but represented a significant symbolic step in national reconciliation efforts.

Event DetailAmerica 250 Atlas
2008

Technology21st CenturyNorth America

SpaceX Falcon 1 Reaches Orbit

Founded by Elon Musk, SpaceX aimed to reduce space launch costs through reusable technology and private enterprise. After three failed attempts, the company launched its Falcon 1 rocket on September 28, 2008, from Kwajalein Atoll. The two-stage liquid-fueled vehicle successfully placed a payload into low Earth orbit, marking the first time a privately funded and developed rocket achieved this milestone. The success validated SpaceX's engineering approach and secured further contracts, including with NASA. It signaled a shift toward commercial dominance in the space industry.

Event DetailDaily Earth View
2008

Politics21st CenturyNorth America

Barack Obama Wins US Presidential Election

In the midst of the global financial crisis, Democratic Senator Barack Obama campaigned on themes of hope, change, and unity against Republican John McCain. On November 4, Obama secured 365 electoral votes and a popular vote majority, becoming the first African American elected president of the United States. His victory reflected shifting demographics and voter priorities amid economic turmoil. Obama was inaugurated the following January, marking a historic milestone in American political history.

Event DetailAmerica 250 Atlas
2010

Disaster21st CenturyNorth America

Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig Explodes in Gulf

The Deepwater Horizon semi-submersible drilling rig, operated by Transocean and contracted by BP, was completing an exploratory well in the Macondo Prospect about 50 miles off the Louisiana coast. On April 20, 2010, a surge of methane gas from the well ignited, causing a massive explosion and fire that killed 11 workers and injured 17 others. The rig burned for two days before sinking, rupturing the wellhead and releasing oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The resulting spill continued for 87 days, becoming the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history and prompting extensive cleanup efforts, regulatory reforms, and legal actions against BP.

Event DetailDisaster Kit Pro
2010

Civil Rights21st CenturyNorth America

U.S. Repeals Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy

Since 1993, the U.S. military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy had required gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members to conceal their sexual orientation or face discharge, creating a climate of secrecy and discrimination within the armed forces. After years of debate and advocacy, Congress passed legislation to repeal the policy during the final months of 2010. On December 22, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 into law, setting the stage for its full implementation in 2011 after certification by military leaders. The repeal ended the ban on open service by LGBTQ+ personnel and aligned military policy more closely with evolving civilian attitudes toward equality. Service members who had lived under the restrictions...

Event DetailUS Military Atlas
2011

Technology21st CenturyNorth America

Space Shuttle Atlantis Launches Final Mission

After three decades of service, NASA’s Space Shuttle program faced retirement following the loss of Columbia in 2003 and shifting priorities toward commercial crew vehicles and deep-space exploration. Atlantis, the oldest surviving orbiter, was assigned to the final flight, designated STS-135. On July 8, 2011, the shuttle lifted off from Kennedy Space Center carrying a crew of four and a cargo module bound for the International Space Station. The 12-day mission delivered supplies and performed maintenance tasks before returning safely. With Atlantis’s landing on July 21, the reusable shuttle fleet was retired.

Event DetailDaily Earth View
2011

Civil Rights21st CenturyNorth America

U.S. Military Ends Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy

The Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, enacted in 1993 under President Clinton, permitted gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members to serve only if they concealed their sexual orientation. After years of advocacy, court challenges, and legislative efforts, Congress passed repeal legislation in December 2010, which President Obama signed. Certification by military leaders followed in July 2011. On September 20, 2011, the policy officially ended at 12:01 a.m., allowing service members to serve openly without fear of discharge based on sexual orientation.

Event DetailUS Military Atlas
2011

Science21st CenturyNorth America

NASA Launches Mars Curiosity Rover

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission aimed to investigate Mars' habitability with a sophisticated mobile laboratory. The car-sized Curiosity rover was mounted atop an Atlas V rocket at Cape Canaveral. On November 26, 2011, the spacecraft lifted off successfully, beginning a 350-million-mile journey to the Red Planet. The launch incorporated advanced entry, descent, and landing technologies for the rover's eventual touchdown in Gale Crater. Mission controllers confirmed the spacecraft was on course shortly after separation from the booster.

Event DetailDaily Earth View
2015

Civil Rights21st CenturyNorth America

Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage Nationwide

By 2015, same-sex marriage was already legal in many U.S. states following years of state-level litigation and shifting public opinion. Cases from Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee reached the Supreme Court after conflicting lower court rulings on marriage equality. On June 26, 2015, the Court issued its 5-4 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, holding that the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to license and recognize same-sex marriages. Justice Anthony Kennedy's majority opinion framed marriage as a fundamental right tied to liberty and equality. The ruling immediately extended marriage rights to all 50 states and territories.

Event DetailAmerica 250 Atlas