A portrait of Mikhail Gorbachev featured on his book cover, 'Perestroika.'

Two women chat next to a fountain next to the Khan's Palace, also called Hansaray, in Crimea on March 9, 2014 in Bakhchysarai, Ukraine. Bakhchysarai was the capital of the Crimean Khanite, the state of Crimean Tatars, for more than three centuries. Since Russia annexed the territory from Ukraine in 2014, Tatars have come under increasing pressure to leave.

A Russian armored troop-carrier moves with soldiers atop next to a house set on fire by South Ossetian militia on in August, 2008.

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HISTORY

The 21st century saw the dawn of the war on terrorism, as the 9/11 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombing dramatically changed society. Economic issues moved to the forefront during the Great Recession. The COVID-19 pandemic upended lives and economies around the world. Awareness of social inequality grew as the killings of Black Americans, including Trayvon Martin and George Floyd, spurred widespread protests.

21st Century

The continent of Asia, home to the majority of the world's population and countries as diverse as China, South Korea and India, has thousands of years of rich history.

Asian History

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 two superpowers to the brink of nuclear disaster.

Cold War

Explore the wars, battles, leaders, civilizations, regimes, prominent figures and major events from the continent that encompasses 2 percent of the Earth’s surface. From Stonehenge to the Great Awakening to the French Revolution to the rise and fall of Communism in Russia, see how Europe’s often tumultuous history unfolded.

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Stories

Why Catherine the Great’s Enemies Turned Her into a Sex Fiend

How a Five-Day War With Georgia Allowed Russia to Reassert Its Military Might

Did Perestroika Play a Role in the Fall of the Soviet Union?

How Crimea’s Complex History With Russia Dates Back to the 19th Century