What Happened in 2021?
2021 wasn’t an easy year for many of us! As many of us were still adjusting to the “new normal” of the global pandemic, the world was just beginning to return to normal. Big events that had been rescheduled were finally taking place, new vaccines and boosters were being given to the masses, and political change unfolded across the globe.
It was also an extremely hot year thanks to ongoing global warming concerns, and more than a few tech giants hit stumbling blocks.
Here are some of the biggest things to have impacted the year 2021.
In this year
January
Joseph "Joe" Biden was officially sworn in as the 46th President of the USA on January 20th. Kamala Harris was sworn in as his Vice President. This event followed the Capitol Riot on January 6th, when President Donald Trump's supporters criminally stormed the US capitol due to his loss of the election that took place in November 2020.
February
NASA's Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars on February 18th. It immediately began its mission to search for remote signs of ancient life and collect soil samples for NASA.
March
The Atlanta Spa Shootings took place on March 16th. A tragic series of shootings occurred at spas in the Atlanta, Georgia area, resulting in the deaths of eight people. On March 22nd, another mass shooting took place at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado. The shooting left ten people dead – reigniting debate over US gun control.
April
On April 20th, former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd. The verdict was a landmark moment in the fight against racial injustice and police brutality in the US and other countries worldwide.
June
In June 2021, record-breaking heatwaves affected various regions globally, including the Pacific Northwest in the United States and Western Canada. The heatwaves put lives at risk and reopened debates over global warming.
July
The delayed Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics finally officially commenced! The range of sports and cultural events took place amid various COVID-19 safety measures – which seem a little strange, looking back now! Things may have relaxed since July 2021 – but be prepared to see distancing markers again if another pandemic rolls around!
August
In August 2021, the Taliban swiftly took control of Kabul, Afghanistan. This led to the collapse of the Afghan government and the almost immediate US withdrawal from the country. Biden’s decision to withdraw proved controversial, though not as controversial as some of the decisions the Taliban would make for Afghanistan in the months and years to come.
September
Social media went down and influencers everywhere panicked as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other platforms experienced a widespread outage. The outage lasted for over seven hours and affected billions of users worldwide. Seven hours doesn’t sound long… but were you there?
October
Amid COVID chaos, there was still some positive healthcare news to glean from 2021, as the World Health Organization (WHO) approved a new Malaria vaccine, with the aim to prioritize children across several African nations at risk.
November
Back to COVID. By November, the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was identified in South Africa. The variant raised serious concerns due to its high number of mutations, and, within four weeks it became the dominant variant of the COVID-19 virus.
December
Typhoon Rai devastated areas of the Philippines in December, ravaging homes, businesses, and risking lives across the country. The natural disaster would tragically claim the lives of at least 410 people and cause more than $1 billion in damages, making it the second-most expensive natural disaster of its kind in the country's history.
2021 was the year of the…
…ox!
Like 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, and 2009, 2021 gave thanks to oxen everywhere, according to the Chinese Zodiac! People born in Ox years are usually pretty conservative and very traditional. They're also honest and very diligent. However, they can also be stubborn and pretty quick-tempered! The next Ox year won't be until 2033.
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This page was last modified on December 30, 2023. Suggest an edit
Celebrity Births in 2021
Exa Dark Sideræl (Born December, parents Elon Musk and Grimes)
Malcolm Hiệp Mulaney (Born November 24th, parents Olivia Munn and John Dulaney)
Cleo Ricci-Hampton (Born December 8th, parents Christina Ricci and Mark Hampton)
Zara Houston (Born December 2nd, parents Marques Houston and Miya Dickey)
Adelaide Meyers (Born September, parents Seth Meyers and Alexi Ashe)
Famous People We Lost in 2021
Betty White, American actor, died aged 99
Christopher Plummer, Canadian actor, died aged 91
Cara Williams, American actress, died aged 96
Larry King, American author and radio and television host, died aged 87
Ed Asner, American actor, died aged 91
