A woman is flanked by portraits of Soviet leaders Joseph Stalin and Vladimir Lenin. Lenin was the USSR's first ruler; Stalin served the longest.

Jockey Flavien Prat (8) riding Duopoly wins the American Oaks (Grade 1) turf race during opening day of horse racing at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia on Saturday, December 26, 2020

Flames from burning jet fuel on the waters off of Long Island from the TWA Flight 800 Boeing 747-100 aircraft that exploded on July 17, 1996 near East Moriches, New York.

The 1990s is often remembered as a decade of relative peace and prosperity: The Soviet Union fell, ending the decades-long Cold War, and the rise of the Internet ushered in a radical new era of communication, business and entertainment.&nbsp;

1990s

The 1990s is often remembered as a decade of relative peace and prosperity: The Soviet Union fell, ending the decades-long Cold War, and the rise of the Internet ushered in a radical new era of communication, business and entertainment.&nbsp;

1990s Archives | History.com

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History

America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian - the U.S. president - would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a governmental structure that has remained in place for more than 200 years.

U.S. Presidents

The U.S. government, with its three branches of government and a system of checks and balances, is responsible for governing the 50 states and all districts and territories of the United States.

US Government

<a href="http://www.christopherklein.com/">Christopher Klein</a> is the author of four books, including When the Irish Invaded Canada: The Incredible True Story of the Civil War Veterans Who Fought for Ireland’s Freedom and Strong Boy: The Life and Times of John L. Sullivan. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Boston Globe, The New York Times, and National Geographic Traveler. Follow Chris on Twitter <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.twitter.com_historyauthor&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=bHpC9irXhivtSwyVyKc43lLt4-cAwmmH7TeQLPqTb5E&amp;r=0ZpTu-He2V3GUI-VETMmkwm8-GyOWSyeMJXqt7G42KA&amp;m=K4QAG6bPcooItZtsSRYJId99sCdkkYnSQnbG55Y82ZU&amp;s=reHlmdZq8nMnpunXM6VDAaQCLeVwu9L3gbscryyWKD8&amp;e=">@historyauthor</a>.&nbsp;

Christopher Klein

Erin Blakemore is a journalist from Boulder, Colorado.&nbsp;She has been a regular contributor to History.com since 2017.&nbsp;Her work has appeared in outlets like The Washington Post, National Geographic, The Atlantic, TIME, Smithsonian and more. Her book, The Heroine's Bookshelf (Harper), won the Colorado Book Award for nonfiction.&nbsp;Learn more about Erin and her work at <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__erinblakemore.com&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=bHpC9irXhivtSwyVyKc43lLt4-cAwmmH7TeQLPqTb5E&amp;r=DnM91hJ18gcNL3QDGSFbaxqDKqUNYha-dXU1EFEqguU&amp;m=vPjVNQxO2UQahvbDx5QSGrZIVauVoSVO87pq3BXU4VA&amp;s=W8vCeHoc9ruSMJuG1fABd_TkZyW3fO6FQrfzkcrWSik&amp;e=">erinblakemore.com</a>

Erin Blakemore

<a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__msbeckylittle.tumblr.com_&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=bHpC9irXhivtSwyVyKc43lLt4-cAwmmH7TeQLPqTb5E&amp;r=DnM91hJ18gcNL3QDGSFbaxqDKqUNYha-dXU1EFEqguU&amp;m=G-7sCRahZ4NeqUBMRIzpVYF_SWJZdHf6oZ3GZnosXWc&amp;s=zmyoc9Pijw9wmJOCBZEXDORhhj0TxUZKXRRMCwVGaTI&amp;e=">Becky Little</a> is a journalist based in Washington, D.C. Follow her on Twitter at <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__twitter.com_MsBeckyLittle&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=bHpC9irXhivtSwyVyKc43lLt4-cAwmmH7TeQLPqTb5E&amp;r=DnM91hJ18gcNL3QDGSFbaxqDKqUNYha-dXU1EFEqguU&amp;m=G-7sCRahZ4NeqUBMRIzpVYF_SWJZdHf6oZ3GZnosXWc&amp;s=vkbwVD5s79Na0AuPtG5PY8OTUvwTHP3BjHLGApztU4w&amp;e=">@MsBeckyLittle</a>.

Becky Little

Martin Stezano

Lesley Kennedy is a features writer and editor living in Denver with her husband and two daughters. Her work has appeared in national and regional newspapers, magazines and websites.

Lesley Kennedy

The 1970s are remembered as an era when the women's rights, gay rights and environmental movements competed with the Watergate scandal, the energy crisis and the ongoing Vietnam War for the world's attention.&nbsp;

1970s

From historical figures to present-day celebrities, Sara Kettler loves to write about people who've led fascinating lives.

Sara Kettler

<a href="https://slack-redir.net/link?url=http%3A%2F%2FHISTORY.com">HISTORY.com</a> is covering a range of angles about pandemics of the past to help frame the COVID-19 crisis.

Pandemics

The Vietnam War pitted communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against South Vietnam and the United States. The war ended when U.S. forces withdrew in 1973 and Vietnam unified under Communist control two years later.

Vietnam War

The 1960s were one of the most tumultuous and divisive decades in world history, marked by the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and antiwar protests, political assassinations and the emerging "generation gap."

1960s

The U.S. political system, including American elections, a wide array of political leaders and various political parties, are a colorful part of American history.

US Politics

The Revolutionary War waged by the American colonies against Britain influenced political ideas and revolutions around the globe, as a small fledgling nation won its freedom from the greatest military force of its time.

American Revolution

Scandals

<a href="https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history">World War II</a> was the biggest and deadliest war in history, involving more than 30 countries. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, the war dragged on for six bloody years until the Allies defeated Nazi Germany and Japan in 1945.

World War II

The Middle Ages, the medieval period of European history between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Renaissance, are sometimes referred to as the "Dark Ages."

Middle Ages

The Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union lasted for decades and resulted in anti-communist suspicions and international incidents that led the two superpowers to the brink of nuclear disaster.

Cold War

Russia, the largest nation in the world, has a colorful history that includes the Romanov family, the Russian Revolution, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, pogroms, the KGB, the fall of the Soviet Union and more.

Russia

The Great Depression began with the stock market crash of 1929 and was made worse by the 1930s Dust Bowl. President Franklin D. Roosevelt responded to the economic calamity with programs known as the New Deal.

Great Depression

During the 1980s, conservative politics and Reaganomics held sway as the Berlin Wall crumbled, new computer technologies emerged and blockbuster movies and MTV reshaped pop culture.

1990s ‑ Stories

Soviet Union Leaders: A Timeline

What Countries Were Part of the Soviet Union?

How a Vaccine Slowed the Spread of Chickenpox

What Happened to TWA Flight 800?

10 Famous Horse Racing Scandals

When the ‘Capitol Crawl’ Dramatized the Need for Americans with Disabilities Act

When Biosphere 2 Became a Grand Experiment in Self‑Isolation

The Euro: How a Common Currency Helped Europe Achieve Peace

How a Petty Snub Led to Clinton’s Government Shutdown—and the Lewinsky Affair

The 1994 Midterms: When Newt Gingrich Helped Republicans Win Big

Why Clinton Survived Impeachment While Nixon Resigned After Watergate

The Biggest Political Scandals in American History