2010
Apple released the first iPad on Jan. 27, 2010. The selling point of the device was that it was not complex like a computer and anyone could learn how to use it without any training. Throughout the last decade, Apple has created 21 iPad models, sold over 360 millions iPads since its debut, and is continuing to produce more.
2011
Snapchat was created in September of 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown. It is focused on interactive photo sharing and allows users to save photos on the app itself. Snapchat has grown into a social networking app that produces mini series and is a platform for news programs and gossip sites to release articles and content.
2012
Dec. 21, 2012 was regarded as the end-date for the Mayan civilization year long calendar. It was predicted that on this date catastrophic events would occur that would put an end to all civilization. The movie “2012” was created in 2009 to further heighten the suspense of this predicted doomsday. Citizens all over the world were scared with some quitting their jobs and made underground bunkers in their homes to be protected from the events.
2013
The songs the “Harlem Shake” and “The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)” were massive hits in 2013. Many people posted videos on social media of them dancing to these songs. In February of 2013, the Harlem shake began trending on Youtube and consisted of a group of people dancing to the song. The most popular Harlem Shake video created has over 1.21 billion views. “The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)” was released on September 3, 2013 and trended on Youtube, gaining over 900 millions views.
2014
In 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was trending across all social media platforms and encouraged individuals to donate money to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association’s Charity. Participates dumped a bucket of ice water over their head to promote awareness for ALS. Individuals would nominate others at the end of the challenge and which aided in the worldwide circulation of this trend. By the end of the summer, over $115 million was raised for ALS research.
2015
The fight for same-sex marriage has been an ongoing issue throughout the United States. In 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples should be granted the same rights as heterosexual couples to wed. This was a pivotal moment in U.S. history since all citizens, regardless of their sexual orientation, were allowed to freely marry the partner of their choosing.
2016
Pokemon Go debuted July 6, 2016 and became an instant success with millions of people downloading the new interactive gaming app that allowed individuals to catch Pokemon through the lens of their phone. Vine began to slowly decline as it began to lose users to other social networking apps. Its creators announced the apps closure on Dec. 16, 2016.
2017
2017 was a pivotal year for female empowerment. The first ever Women’s March occurred on Jan. 21 which was a worldwide protest against the derogatory comments made towards women by President Donald Trump. In the following months, the #MeToo movement arose was born out of the rise of numerous sexual assault victims speaking out against their assaulters.
2018
Prince Harry married Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018. This was an historic event due to the fact that Markle is an American biracial woman. The wedding, estimated at a cost of $45 million, was watched by millions around the world.
2019
On April 10, 2019, NASA was able to capture the first photo of a blackhole using the Event Horizon Telescope. This was a major accomplishment for NASA since the image they were able to capture is decades ahead of its time.
