2014 was an action-packed year. We’ve put together the top 10 headlines of the year for you.
Ebola
The virus was first brought over to the U.S. when Dr. Kent Bradley was flown to Georgia for care in the Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, GA in August. Thomas Eric Duncan became the first American to die from it in October in Texas, but all of his nurses who contracted the disease, along with all other Americans who have contracted it so far, were successfully treated.
Ferguson
This August, Michael Brown, an African American teen, was fatally shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. His death, and the recent grand jury decision to not indict Officer Darren Wilson, has led to many protests around the country.
Malaysian Airlines
In March, Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 confused the world when it completely disappeared while traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Later in July, Flight 17 was shot down in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people onboard.
Crimea
In February, pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine led to the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation. In March, a referendum was held, and the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution recognizing that Crimea is within Ukraine’s international boarders, rejecting the legitimacy of the referendum. Then in April the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed a resolution temporarily taking away its voting rights.
Robin Williams
The beloved actor died of suicide in August at age 63. Though tragic, his death opened up national discussion about depression and the stigmas attached to mental illness.
Same-Sex Marriage
Same-sex marriage was legalized in 12 states this year, including Oregon, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, West Virginia and North Carolina. The Supreme Court refused to hear appeals from Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin when they sought to keep their same-sex marriage bans in place.
Winter Olympics
The 2014 Winter Olympics were held in Sochi, Russia in February. Russia won the most gold medals, winning 13 overall. The U.S. didn’t do too shabby, averaging 10th for medals per athlete and winning 28 medals total.
Midterm Elections
In the midterm elections in November, the Republican Party won a majority of seats in the House and Senate, taking control of congress.
ISIS
Islamic extremist group ISIS tried to take control of the Iraqi government and replace democracy with Islamic law by overtaking cities, causing global tensions by recruiting mercenaries from all over the world.
Legalization of Marijuana
Colorado was the first state to legalize the purchase of marijuana for recreational purposes in January. Washington state followed suit in July. Oregon and Alaska have also legalized recreational marijuana.
(Feature Photo via NBC News)