2013 Snapshot
""
The Vibe
Pop Culture
Vine App
Slang
"Selfie"
Price Check
Gas: $3.43
Notable Deaths
Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher, James Gandolfini
Music & Style
Synth-Rock
World Affairs
Pope Francis
Mali Conflict
Year's Summary
- Global Events: Edward Snowden leaks NSA documents, sparking a global debate on privacy. Pope Francis is elected. Nelson Mandela passes away at age 95.
- Culture & Mood: Frozen mania takes over every household with 'Let It Go.' Binge-watching becomes a standard hobby as House of Cards drops all episodes at once.
- Fashion & Slang: Flower crowns and 'Tumblr' aesthetics. If you're jealous, you're 'Salty.'
- Fun Fact: 'Selfie' is officially named the Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries, and Grand Theft Auto V breaks nearly every entertainment sales record.
- 28 Feb 2013: Pope Benedict XVI Formally Resigns from the Papacy – Pope Benedict XVI officially stepped down as head of the Catholic Church, becoming the first pope to resign voluntarily in nearly six hundred years. Citing advanced age and declining physical strength, his departure paved the way for the Papal Conclave that elected Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as Pope Francis.
- 13 Mar 2013: Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio Elected Pope Francis – Following the resignation of Benedict XVI, the Papal Conclave elected Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the 266th Pope. Taking the name Francis, he became the first Latin American pope, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first Jesuit to lead the Roman Catholic Church.
- 15 Apr 2013: Boston Marathon Bombing Attacks Claim Three Lives and Injure Hundreds – Two pressure-cooker bombs detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three spectators and injuring more than 260 people. The resulting four-day manhunt paralyzed the Boston metropolitan area and led to the death of suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev and the capture of his brother, Dzhokhar.
- 6 Jun 2013: Edward Snowden Leaks Reveal Massive NSA Global Surveillance Programs – *The Guardian* and *The Washington Post* began publishing classified documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. The revelations exposed widespread surveillance networks, including global telephone metadata collection and internet tracking programs operated by the National Security Agency.
- 1 Jul 2013: Croatia Formally Accedes to the European Union – The Republic of Croatia officially became the 28th member state of the European Union, concluding a decade-long application and reform process following the dissolution of Yugoslavia and marking a major milestone in Western Balkan integration.
- 5 Dec 2013: Passing of Anti-Apartheid Icon and Former President Nelson Mandela – Former South African President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela passed away at age ninety-five. Global leaders and millions of mourners gathered in Johannesburg for a state memorial service honoring his monumental role in dismantling apartheid and guiding South Africa to multiracial democracy.