1937: The United States is in the middle of the Great Depression. The unemployment rate is very high, with approximately one quarter of the workforce unable to find work.

1983: The United States is in a recession and the unemployment rate is at record levels.

Today: The United States' economy is relatively stable. The national unemployment rate is extremely low and the stock market is experiencing record highs. In early-1999, the market hits the 10,000 mark for the first time.

1937: War seems imminent in Europe because of German leader Adolf Hitler's aggressive foreign policy. Within two years, war will engulf all of Europe.

1983: The Cold War, a political standoff between the United States and Russia that has lasted for decades, is near its end. When Mikhail Gorbachev is elected to the Russian presidency a few years later, the Cold War will end.

Today: There are pockets of...