Mar 20
Iraq War Begins
'Shock and Awe' lit up Baghdad on live TV. The US invaded Iraq based on claims of weapons of mass destruction. None were found. The war would last eight years and cost trillions.
war
🇺🇸United States · 00s
Shock and Awe
Iraq War begins, Columbia breaks apart, and MySpace connects a generation.
What happened
5 milestones of 2003
Feb 1
Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster
Columbia broke apart during re-entry, killing all seven crew members. Foam had damaged the heat shield on launch. The shuttle program never fully recovered.
tragedy
May 1
'Mission Accomplished' Speech
Bush landed on the USS Abraham Lincoln beneath a 'Mission Accomplished' banner and declared major combat operations over. The insurgency was just beginning. The banner haunted his presidency.
Aug 14
Northeast Blackout
The largest blackout in North American history left 55 million people without power across the northeast US and Canada. New Yorkers walked home across bridges. It lasted up to two days.
Dec 13
Saddam Hussein Captured
US forces found Saddam Hussein hiding in a spider hole near Tikrit. 'We got him,' Paul Bremer announced. The dictator would be tried and executed by Iraq.
What was playing
70% local · 30% international
What was in cinemas
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Peter Jackson — Won all 11 Oscars it was nominated for. The trilogy's triumphant conclusion.
Finding Nemo
Andrew Stanton — 'Just keep swimming.' Pixar's biggest hit. Parents cried more than kids.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Gore Verbinski — Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow. A theme park ride became a blockbuster franchise.
Lost in Translation
Sofia Coppola — Bill Murray in Tokyo. Loneliness and connection in a strange city.
Kill Bill: Volume 1
Quentin Tarantino — Uma Thurman's revenge. Yellow tracksuit. Tarantino's love letter to martial arts cinema.
What was on TV
Arrested Development
2003-2006 — The most quotable comedy of the decade. 'There's always money in the banana stand.'
Dave Chappelle's Show
2003-2006 — Chappelle's sketch comedy was fearless. Rick James, the racial draft — legendary.
The O.C.
2003-2007 — 'Welcome to the O.C., bitch.' Teen drama with indie rock.
American Idol
2002-2016 — #1 show on television. Ruben Studdard vs. Clay Aiken.
CSI
2000-2015 — Still dominating ratings. Forensic crime procedurals were everywhere.
How much things cost
Currency: USD
Gallon of milk$3.07
Gallon of gas$1.59
New house (median)$195,000
New car (average)$19,500
Loaf of bread$1.08
Movie ticket$6.03
Inflation: 2.3%
The economy was recovering from the dot-com bust. Housing prices were starting to climb rapidly.
Then vs. Now
Inflation-adjusted values
Gallon of milkBLS
2003 (USD)
$3.07
→
Today's value ($)
--
Gallon of gasEIA
2003 (USD)
$1.59
→
Today's value ($)
--
New house (median)Census Bureau
2003 (USD)
$195,000
→
Today's value ($)
--
New car (average)BLS
2003 (USD)
$19,500
→
Today's value ($)
--
Loaf of breadBLS
2003 (USD)
$1.08
→
Today's value ($)
--
Movie ticketNATO
2003 (USD)
$6.03
→
Today's value ($)
--
Technology
MySpace launched
The first major social network. Tom was everyone's first friend.
iTunes Store
Apple opened the iTunes Store. Legal music downloads at 99 cents each.
Skype
Skype launched, making free internet calls possible.
Human Genome Project completed
The full sequence of human DNA was completed — 13 years of work.
Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity
NASA launched twin rovers to Mars. Opportunity would last 15 years.
Pop Culture
Fashion
Trucker hats (Von Dutch peak)Ugg bootsStudded belts and emo style
Slang
Metrosexual— A well-groomed, fashion-conscious man
Sketch— Suspicious, shady
Crunk— Crazy and drunk, high-energy
Behavior
- Anti-war protests drew millions worldwide before the Iraq invasion
- MySpace made social networking mainstream
- The Dixie Chicks were boycotted for criticizing Bush — free speech debated
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