This year's graduating seniors have lived through terrorism, unrest at home and overseas, a war that resulted in a toppled dictator and an American occupation and a tense presidential campaign.
2001:
The year opened with the terror and tragedy accompanying the terrorist attacks of September 11. Following the attacks, an American-led international coalition overthrew Afghanistan's extremist Taliban regime in response to their role in 9/11 and their harboring of Islamic militants suspected of involvement with Al Qaeda.
The threat of terrorism persisted domestically, as anthrax-laced letters circulated around the Capitol and media outlets in New York and Washington. All told, five Americans died from anthrax-related causes.
2002:
Concerns about terror extended into the new year, as American and international soldiers hunted for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In November, bin Laden released an audiotape that celebrated 9/11.
The U.S. Government responded by boosting military and National Guard levels and creating a new cabinet- level Department of Homeland Security, initially headed by former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge.
The economy continued to suffer in response to 9/11 and a host of corporate scandals.
In September, President Bush turned his focus to Iraq as the next target in his War on Terror. Bush accused Iraqi President Saddam Hussein of illicitly developing scores of weapons of mass destruction. The UN Security Council passed a resolution that returned weapons inspectors to Iraq, and threatened dire consequences should Saddam refuse to cooperate.
2003:
After debate in the UN, Bush took a small group of nations to war in Iraq on March 19, promising "shock and awe." After a swift campaign toppled Hussein, Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1. Violence, however, remained far from over, as coalition forces faced a vicious and elusive insurgency. A major success was the capture of Hussein outside Tikrit.
On February 1, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it reentered the atmosphere, claiming the lives of all seven astronauts aboard.
In politics, California Gov. Gray Davis was recalled and replaced by actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D-VT) emerged as the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination.
2004:
In June, the U.S. returned sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government headed by Dr. Ayad Allawi on June 28. The return of sovereignty occurred despite a resurgent insurgency in Falluja and Najaf, led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and fueled by radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's rhetoric.
In May, photographs detailing American abuse of Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison surfaced, sparking international controversy.
President Ronald Reagan passed away after a long fight with Alzheimer's disease.
The race for the Democratic presidential nomination began on January 20th with the Iowa caucuses. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) emerged as the victor, winning nearly all the presidential primaries, including New Hampshire's, on his way to the nomination. Kerry selected primary rival Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) as his running mate. A heated campaign ensued, as both Bush and Kerry were accused of improper service during the Vietnam War. Bush won reelection by a 286-251 electoral vote margin.
October witnessed the end of the "Curse of the Bambino," as the Boston Red Sox overcame a 3-0 deficit to stun the Yankees, and then swept the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 to win their first World Series since 1918.
The international spotlight turned on the Darfur region of Sudan, where Islamic rebels -- the Janjaweed -- murdered thousands of Sudanese and displaced millions more. Controversy over the genocide, as Bush and the U.S. Congress have labeled the killings, rages on.
In late December, a 9.2 magnitude earthquake in Southeast Asia unleashed a massive tsunami that destroyed thousands of homes, businesses, and miles of coastline, claiming the lives of thousands and displacing many more. An international relief effort raised millions of dollars for reconstruction.
2005:
On January 20, President Bush was sworn in for his second term as president.
On January 31, free elections were held in Iraq. Despite localized bursts of violence, millions of Iraqis voted. The new government, headed by Ibrahim al-Jaafari, that formed as a result was strongly Shi'ite.
On April 1, Terry Schiavo, a severely brain-damaged Florida woman, died after her feeding tube was removed. Her death ended months of controversy related to the right to die and the definition of life.
The next day, Pope John Paul II, beloved leader of the Roman Catholic Church, succumbed to a long illness, ending the third-longest pontificate in history. The late pope's funeral drew massive media coverage, and a host of notables, including President George W. Bush and former Presidents Clinton and Bush, were in attendance.
The first papal conclave since 1978 elected highly-conservative German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to become the next pontiff. Ratzinger took the name Benedict XVI.
Domestically, conflict over Democratic use of the judicial filibuster led to increased partisan tension. After weeks of debate and tension, a group of twelve moderate senators from both parties reached a compromise deal that allowed the Democrats to reserve the filibuster for "extreme" nominees in exchange for floor votes on several of the nominees that had been central to the conflict. Questions remain with regard to the stability of the compromise.
