Short answers, pulled from the story.
The contemporary history era began in 1945 when the deadliest conflict in human history ended and the Allies defeated the Axis powers. This year marked the start of a new era of global anxiety that would define the next half-century.
The Cold War lasted from 1947 until 1991 and involved the United States and the Soviet Union. This geopolitical standoff was characterized by a terrifying arms race and proxy wars rather than direct combat between the superpowers.
The dismantling of colonial empires occurred between 1946 and 1975 as British, French, Dutch, and Portuguese empires crumbled. British India gained independence in 1947 and dozens of new states emerged during this period.
The Bretton Woods system ended in 1971 when the United States dollar ceased to serve as the world's reserve currency. This collapse gave way to a more flexible era of floating exchange rates.
The first humans landed on the Moon in 1969 during the Apollo 11 mission. The United States achieved this feat after the Soviet Union sent Yuri Gagarin into space in 1961.
The COVID-19 pandemic began in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. It spread to other countries and became a global pandemic causing major socio-economic disruption.