2020 has finally come to a close, taking with it some of the most once-in-a-lifetime events in recent memory. Though the new year is seen as a time of optimism and ambition, it is important to reflect back on the events of this year and cherish what positivity could be found in its chaos.

The following list contains events relevant to the United States and other countries that appear to have had a defining impact on the Western world.  It is in no way comprehensive, but covers most of the major events of each month. 

JANUARY

• Early January- Bushfires rip through Australia beginning in late 2019, resulting in the deaths of 24 people and roughly 1 billion animals. The fires would continue until late March, damaging the environment and prompting several global charity efforts. 
• January 3rd- Tensions between the United States and Iran flare with the American assassination of Quasem Solemani, a high-ranking Iraninan military official. The news sparks fears of a potential “third world war” both in the news and online, mainly in the form of internet memes. 

  

• January 15th- Members of the House of Representatives deliver Articles of Impeachment to the Senate. President Donald Trump had been impeached by the House on December 18, 2019.
• January 26th- Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, pass away in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Bryant was known to many as one of the best basketball players of all time, and was named the NBA’s most valuable player in 2008.
• January 30th- The World Health Organization (WHO) declares the Covid-19 outbreak a global emergency, with 10,000 cases worldwide. 

FEBRUARY 

• February 4th- Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi rips up President Trump’s State of the Union Address on camera. 
• February 5th- President Donald Trump is acquitted of all charges in his impeachment trial held in the Senate. 
• February 6th- The first American death caused by COVID-19 is recorded in California. 
• February 18th- The Boy Scouts of America file for Title 11 bankruptcy as hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits are filed against them. 
• February 24th- Harvey Winestein, one of the top film producers in Hollywood, is convicted of rape and criminal sexual acts by a Manhatten jury. 

MARCH

• March- People around the world, most notably in Australia and the US, began to hoard personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies at home, fearing the worst of the COVID-19 virus. 
• March 8th- Italy places a quarter of its population under quarantine to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
• March 9th- The stock market crashes, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing more than two thousand points. 
• March 11th- The WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic.  
• March 13th- Breonna Taylor is shot and killed in her Kentucky home by Louisville police officers.  
• March 17th- The European Union closes its borders for 30 days, citing COVID-19 concerns. 
• March 26th- The number of COVID-19 cases worldwide surpasses 500,000 with 23,000 deaths. 

APRIL

• April 2nd- The worldwide number of confirmed COVID-19 cases surpasses 1 million. 
• April 14th- President Trump claims that he will halt funding the WHO for “mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic.”
• April 14th- The worldwide number of confirmed COVID-19 cases surpasses 2 million, doubling in a little over a week. 
• April 23rd- President Donald Trump sparks controversy by suggesting to reporters during a press conference that COVID-19 patients could be injected with disinfectants as a form of “cleaning”. The President later claimed that his comments were sarcastic.  
• April 30th- Protesters, some armed, storm the Michigan House of Representatives seeking to have the state’s stay-at-home order revoked. 

MAY

• May 4th- An invasive species of giant hornets, dubbed “Murder Hornets” by the public, are first spotted in Washington state. 
• May 25th- George Floyd is killed by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Videos of his death sparked mass worldwide protests, with some turning violent. 
• May 29th- Omar Jimenez, a CNN News reporter, is taken into police custody live on air while conducting a report on the Black Lives Matter protests in Minneapolis. He and his crew were placed in handcuffs after clearly identifying themselves to officers. Many journalists would be taken into custody or experience police violence during the BLM protests. 

JUNE

• June 1st-A peaceful BLM protest in front of the White House is interrupted by police shooting rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd. News that the crowd was dispersed for a presidential photo-op in front of a local church sparks controversy online.

  

• June 12th- Rayshard Brooks is killed by police outside of an Atlanta Wendy’s, sparking more mass protests.
• June 14th- The US Supreme Court rules that federal civil-right laws protect members of the LGBT community, a massive win for those w
• June 18th- The US Supreme Court rejects the Trump Administration’s attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in a 5-4 vote. 
• June 21st- President Donald Trump is greeted with a nearly empty arena for his Tulsa, Oklahoma rally. Many attribute the low turnout to both the local COVID-19 advisories and massive Twitter and TikTok campaigns encouraging teenagers to reserve tickets without planning on attending the rally. 
• June 28th- A St. Louis couple is widely mocked for waving guns in the faces of peaceful protesters. The couple would later both be charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon and speak at the Republican National Convention. 

JULY

• July 1st- Vladimir Putin wins a national referendum on presidential term limits, allowing him to remain President until at least 2036.
• July 1st- For the first time, America records 50,000 new COVID-19 cases in one day. 
• July 2nd- The Washington Redskins announce their name change to the Washington Football Team. The change is mainly attributed to the weeks of BLM and racial justice protests, but the name had long been denounced by Native Americans as an ethnic slur. 
• July 17th- John Lewis, statesman and civil rights leader, passes away at 80.

AUGUST

• August 4th- An explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, shocks the world and leaves over 100 dead. The economic, environmental, and humanitarian disasters caused by the explosion give rise to international charity efforts.
• August 11th- Joe Biden announces California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate, the first woman of color nominated by either major political party for the position.
• August 23rd- Jacob Blake is shot by police in front of his children in Kenosha. Washington, sparking violent protests.
• August 25th- The WHO declares that Africa has eradicated Polio, a major step in the global elimination of the virus. The US suffered from over 200 cases of Polio in 2020, an unusual spike the likes of which haven’t been reported in decades. 
• August 28th- Actor Chadwick Boseman dies of colon cancer at age 43. His death comes as a shock to the public, who were largely unaware of his condition.
• August 30th- Global cases of COVID-19 surpass 25 million, with a death toll of 843,000.

SEPTEMBER

• September 6th- Los Angeles County records its highest-ever temperature at 121F (49.4C).
• September 10th- The August Complex wildfire in California becomes the largest in state history at 736 sq. mi (471,000 acres).
• September 18th- Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court, passes away at age 87. She served as the most senior member of the Court’s liberal wing, and was seen as an icon in her fight for gender equality and LGBT rights. 
• September 22nd- US Covid-19 death toll passes 200,000.  
• September 27th- The New York Times publishes their report on President Donald Trump’s tax returns, revealing years of chronic losses and tax avoidance.
• September 29th- The first presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump takes place in Cleveland, Ohio. Both candidates struggle and talk over one another, leaving viewers at home unable to understand what is being said. 

OCTOBER

• October 2nd- President Trump announces over Twitter that he and Melania Trump have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. 

  

• October 8th- the FBI charges 13 men with plotting to storm the state capitol and kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer.
• October 21st- Pope Francis voices his support for same-sex civil unions in a documentary titled “Francesco”.
• October 26th- Philadelphia police shoot and kill Walter Wallace Jr., prompting protests that turn violent. In response, the city imposes a 9 p.m. curfew on residents. 
• October 27th- Amy Coney Barret is sworn into the US Supreme Court, filling the vacant seat left by Justice Ginsburg. 

NOVEMBER

• November 7th- Joe Biden is declared the winner of the 2020 Presidential Election by news networks in a 306-232 victory over President Donald Trump. CNN calls the election first, with others following suit throughout the day. 
• November 8th- Rudy Giuliani holds a widely-mocked press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping in Philadelphia, where he disputes the results of the 2020 presidential election. 
• November 14th- US COVID-19 deaths reach 250,000.  
• November 24th- Scotland’s parliament votes to become the first country to make period products free.

DECEMBER 

• December 2nd – Britain is the first country to approve the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
• December 8th – A new, more contagious strain of COVID-19 is discovered in Britain. It is expected to spread to the United States before the end of the month.
• December 13th – Russia is revealed to have behind a massive cyberattack on US companies and governmental agencies.
• December 14th – The Electoral College certifies Joe Biden’s 302-232 victory over President Donald Trump.
• December 23rd – The British Parliament finalizes a withdrawal agreement with the EU, ending nearly four years of negotiations and putting the Brexit process to an end.
• December 25th – A Tennessee man ignites an RV outside of an AT&T store in Nashville, killing himself and damaging the surrounding area.