When you think about it, a whole lot of major stuff happened during 2011. Nothing like 1968–the monster of all eventful years–but more eventful than 2010 and 2004, which I wrote about previously. For 2011, I give you:

Internationally: the Arab World

• The uprising in Tunisia, with a dictator toppled. (January)
• The uprising in Egypt, with a dictator toppled. (February)
• The uprising in Libya, with a dictator toppled and killed. (February)
• Protests occur in Yemen and Bahrain. (January)
• Demonstrations in Algeria. (February)
• The uprising in Syria, with continued bloodshed. (March)
• Dictator overthrown in Ivory Coast. (April)
• Two American hikers finally released from Iran. (September)
• Saudi Arabia grants women the right to vote (sort of). (September)
• Renewed protests in Egypt’s Tahrir Square. (November)
• Big earthquake in Turkey. (October)
• Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit released after 5 years in Palestinian captivity.

Internationally: Elsewhere:

• The Japanese tsumani, and the threat of nuclear reactor meltdown. (March)
• The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. (April)
• South Sudan becomes a nation. (July)
• A gunman in Norway kills 68 campers and personal friends. (July)
• Phone hacking scandal rocks the Rupert Murdoch media empire. (July)
• World population passes 7 billion. (October)
• Rioting in Greece. (October)
• Silvio Berlusconi finally resigns as Italy’s premier. (November)
• Hillary Clinton’s ground-breaking visit to Myanmar. (December)
• Huge protests in Russia against Vladimir Putin. (December)

On the Military Front:

• The death of Osama bin Laden. (May)
• 22 Navy SEALS killed in shot-down helicopter. (August)
• Military don’t ask, don’t tell policy is repealed. (September)
• The capture and execution of Ghaddafi. (October)
• The US military’s final withdrawal from Iraq. (December)

Politically:

• The shooting of Gabriel Giffords (January)
• Protests against the Republican governor in Wisconsin. (February)
• Obama releases birth certificate. (April)
• Donald Trump plays hard-to-get as a presidential candidate. (Spring)
• The debt ceiling talks. (Summer)
• Congressman Anthony Weiner resigns after scandal. (June)
• New York legalizes same-sex marriage. (June)
• The Occupy Wall Street movement. (September)
• The failed Super Committee. (October)
• The rise and fall of Herm Caine. (October)
• The endless debates and ups-and-downs of the Republican primary season. (Fall)

In Sports:

• The scandals at Ohio State, Penn State, and Syracuse. (November)
• Both the NFL and NBA get off to a late start because of contract negotiations. (summer and fall)
• Tebow-mania. (Fall)

Pop Culture:

• Verizon begins selling the iPhone. (February)
• The Oprah Winfrey show ends. (May)
• Amy Winehouse is found dead. (July)
• The Casey Anthony trial finally comes to an end. (July)
• Arnold Schwarzenegger admits fathering a child with a housekeeper. Maria Shriver ends their 25-year marriage. (July)
• Soap “All My Children” cancelled after 41 years (September)
• Amanda Knox freed in Italian court. (October)
• The death of Steve Jobs. (October)
• Michael Jackson’s doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter. (November)
• Regis leaves his program. (November)
• Keith Olberman canned by MSNBC (January) and Glenn Beck canned by FoxNews (June).

Not to Mention:

• The tornadoes in Alabama. (April)
• Dominique Strauss-Kahn, head of the IMF, arrested for raping a hotel maid. (May)
• The tornado in Joplin, Missouri. (May)
• World doesn’t end, as Harold Camping predicted. (May)
• The last Space Shuttle flight. (July)
• 10th anniversary of 9/11. (September)
• Standard & Poor’s lowers the US credit rating for the first time ever. (August)
• Wind gust toppled stage at Indiana State Fair, killing 7. (August)
• Virginia earthquake causes cracks in the Washington Monument.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedicated in Washington, DC. (October)