Midnight in Amsterdam: The World's First Same-Sex Weddings
At midnight on April 1, 2001, Amsterdam's mayor married four same-sex couples as the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.
Tales from the year 2001
Dennis Tito: The World's First Space Tourist
On April 28, 2001, California businessman Dennis Tito launched aboard a Russian Soyuz to the International Space Station, becoming history's first space tourist.
All Available Boats: The Great 9/11 Boatlift
On September 11, 2001, with Manhattan's bridges and tunnels shut, an armada of ferries, tugs, and private boats evacuated roughly half a million people by water in about nine hours.
Green Hills and a Fresh Start: Windows XP Is Born
On October 25, 2001, Microsoft launched Windows XP — the green-hilled operating system that refused to die for over a decade.
China Joins the World Trade Club
On December 11, 2001, after 15 years of negotiations, China became the 143rd member of the World Trade Organization.