1949: In the aftermath of World War II, minions of young wives worldwide are widowed. Many raise their children alone.

Today: Out-of-wedlock births In the United States rise to 31 percent in 1994. Many of these children will be raised without a father figure present.

1950s: Coming-of-age novels, also known as bildungsromans are popular. One of the most popular is J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye.

Today: Coming-of-age novels are less popular with young readers than paperback series that emphasize the adventures of adolescents, like R. L. Stine's Goosebumps series.

1948: The National Party in South Africa institutes apartheid-an often violent policy of segregation and political and economic discrimination.

Today: Apartheid ends in 1994. Nelson Mandela, after being released from his 27-year imprisonment, is elected president of South Africa in the first elections open to all citizens of the country.