At Infoplease, our mission is to bring you the news and information you need. We take a look at major current events that have shaped the world we live in.
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, are often considered one of the most significant and defining current events of the last century. They caused a global war on terror, the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and set in motion other lasting political changes. They also ushered in new policies including the USA PATRIOT Act and new rules at airports. Other lasting effects include a rise in anti-Muslim sentiment and American nationalism.
This Big Event caused economic hardship for most people around the globe and led to massive migrations. It shook the balance of power in Europe, allowing Napoleon Bonaparte to rise to prominence, and it permanently altered the landscape of the world as we know it.
These societal changes created intergenerational normative disjuncture in youth as they saw the values, beliefs and life experiences on which their parents’ generation had built their lives become outdated or irrelevant. This resulted in a widespread youth culture of drug use and risky sexual practices.
Although these social disruptions might cause increased risk and harm, they can also provide opportunities for some people to escape the repressive structures of their societies and find better ways of living. The era of Black Power, the assassination of JFK and MLK, and the Civil Rights movement are examples of this.