A Month-by-Month History of the Past Decade: 2004-2005
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The decade of the 2000s has been a tumultuous turn of events that will be remembered far into the future. We have had many accomplishments, including the mapping of the human genome, the discovery of water on the moon, and movements towards peace on the planet. Unfortunately, negative events accompany us on our march of progress, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, one of the worst natural disasters in recorded history. We’ve also suffered through terrorist attacks such as 9/11, 7/7, and tragically, countless many others which have led to the greater tragedy of a population living in constant fear. So, we have a long way to go for humanity to become as great as it can be, but I believe this decade was a definitive step in the right direction. As such, I have collected one event from each of the last 120 months so that we don’t forget where we came from. Enjoy this month-by-month history of the first decade of the third millennium.
2004
January: A whale explodes in Tainan City, Taiwan, while being transported through the town to a university for a necropsy.
February: The CIA admits that there was no imminent threat from weapons of mass destruction before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
March: The 2004 Madrid Train Bombings, a series of coordinated bombings against the commuter train system of Madrid, Spain, kills 191 and wounds 1,800. Despite the initial allegations, investigators determine that the perpetrators had no ties to al Qaeda.
April: The last coal mine in France closes, ending a 300 year old industry in the country.
May: The largest expansion to date of the European Union takes place, extending the Union by 10 member-states: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Malta and Cyprus.
June: Marvin Heemeyer destroys many local buildings with a home-made tank in Granby, Colorado.
July: Lance Armstrong wins a record sixth consecutive Tour de France title. He would extend his record the following year by winning the 2005 Tour de France.
August: The United Nations releases a report in which it blames the Sudanese government for crimes against humanity in Darfur.
September: Over a period of three weeks, 3 separate hurricanes, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne; strike the state of Florida, killing over 100 and causing $29 billion in damage. As a matter of fact, Hurricane Jeanne made landfall in almost the same exact location as Hurricane Frances. Additionally, the citrus crop for the year was destroyed.
October: European heads of state sign in Rome the Treaty and Final Act, establishing the first European Constitution.
November: U.S. military forces in Iraq begin the Siege of Fallujah in an effort to eliminate the insurgent stronghold before the January elections.
December: The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami occurs after a magnitude 9.3 earthquake strikes off the coast of Indonesia. The earthquake itself was the second most intense earthquake ever recorded, but it was the resultant tsunami which caused the devastation. The tsunami devastated nearly the entire Indian Ocean, with deaths reported as far away as Somalia. However, because it occurred during the holiday season, many foreigners were on vacation in the region. Thus, while the tsunami/earthquake caused destruction in 15 countries, it’s affect was even more widespread, killing over 230,000 from 40 countries.
Animated gif of 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
2005
January: The first free parliamentary elections in Iraq since 1958 take place.
February: The Kyoto Protocol, a part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, goes into effect minus the support of the United States and Australia. However, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd signed the ratification bill in 2007, making the U.S. the only holdout along with Afghanistan, Somalia, and Western Sahara.
March: The People’s Republic of China ratifies an anti-secession law, aimed at preventing Taiwan from declaring independence. Nearly 300,000 Taiwanese protested against the law in Taipei.
April: Pope John Paul II, the second-longest pontificate and the first non-Italian pope since the 16th century, dies at the age of 84. Pope Benedict XVI (Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) succeeded him 17 days later, becoming the 265th pope.
May: Kuwaiti women are granted the right to vote, leaving the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as the only Middle Eastern countries to deny women the right to vote. The UAE would grant universal suffrage in 2006, though.
June: Queen Elizabeth II conducts the International Fleet Review of 167 international warships in the Solent, as part of the Trafalgar 200 celebrations; a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
July: The 7 July 2005 London bombings, a series of bomb attacks against London’s public transportation network, kill 56 and injure over 700. The attack became known as 7/7 and was found to be perpetrated by three Pakistanis and a Jamaican who were disgruntled about British involvement in the Iraq War.
August: Hurricane Katrina strikes the Gulf Coast, killing over 1,800 people, decimating New Orleans, and causing nearly $81.2 billion in damage, making it the costliest hurricane in U.S. history. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, various weaknesses with the government’s role in recovering from a natural disaster, were exposed. Over four years later, New Orleans still hasn’t fully recovered.
September: Controversial drawings of Muhammad are printed in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, leading to protests, violence, and threats of violence throughout much of the Muslim world.
October: Two Japanese banking conglomerates merge to form Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, the world’s largest bank.
November: Andrew Stimpson, a 25-year old British man, is reported as the first person proven to have been ‘cured’ of HIV. After complaining of illness, Stimpson tested positive for HIV. When he returned for testing again, the tests returned negative, as did subsequent tests. Stimpson’s case is unique because he wasn’t taking medication to combat the disease, and his was the first case that was fully documented.
December: Scientists announce that they have created mice with small amounts of human brain cells in an effort to make realistic models of neurological disorders.
Pope John Paul II with Cardinal Ratzinger
A big thanks to Wikipedia, without whom this timeline would have taken months. Also, I realize that according to the Gregorian calendar the decade doesn’t actually end until December 31, 2010, but I didn’t want to wait a year to do this. Besides, I will never consider the year 2000 to be a part of the 1990s, so there’s my logic. If you enjoyed this post, you should follow EiH on Twitter or subscribe to the RSS feed.
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