Illustration by Thomas Burden

2021 Year in Review

As the world gets ready to ring in 2022, here’s a recap of a few of the biggest headlines of the past year.

December 20, 2021

As You Read: Identify and describe two ways that Covid-19 had an effect on the past year.

Summer Olympics

After a delay of a year due to Covid-19, the 2020 Summer Olympics finally took place! The Games kicked off on July 23 in Tokyo, Japan. Team USA won a total of 113 medals. That’s more than any other country that competed. Gymnast Suni Lee became the first Asian American to be named the Olympic all-around gymnastics champion!

After a delay of a year due to Covid-19, the 2020 Summer Olympics finally took place! The Games began on July 23 in Tokyo, Japan. Team USA won 113 medals. That’s more than any other country. Gymnast Suni Lee had a special honor. She became the first Asian American to be named the Olympic all-around gymnastics champion!

In Europe in July, this flying car became the first “car plane” to fly between two big airports. Its wings fold back into its body so it can also drive on the road!

A Stormy Year

One of many storms is 2021, Hurricane Ida struck Louisiana on August 29. A hurricane is a spinning storm with high winds that forms over warm ocean water. A hurricane can be hundreds of miles wide. When it moves over or close to land, it can flood towns and destroy homes. Most hurricanes that hit the U.S. form over the Atlantic Ocean.

Ida had winds of up to 160 miles per hour and ripped through nine states. On September 1, the remnants of Ida dumped a record amount of rain in the Northeast, and more than 50 people died.

Hurricane Ida struck Louisiana on August 29. It was one of many storms in 2021. A hurricane is a spinning storm with high winds. It forms over warm ocean water. A hurricane can be hundreds of miles wide. When it moves over or close to land, it can flood towns and destroy homes. Most hurricanes that hit the U.S. form over the Atlantic Ocean.

Ida had winds of up to 160 miles per hour. It ripped through nine states. On September 1, the remnants of Ida dumped huge amounts of rain in the Northeast. More than 50 people died.

Getting to Work

On January 20, Joe Biden was inaugurated, or sworn in, as the 46th president of the United States. Kamala Harris officially became the nation’s first female Vice President that day.

On January 20, Joe Biden was inaugurated, or sworn in, as the 46th president of the United States. Kamala Harris officially became the nation’s first female vice president.

We Watched Vivo

The Covid-19 pandemic kept many people away from public spaces, including movie theaters. To help increase the number of viewers, some movies in 2021 had first showings at both theaters and in homes. One example is Vivo, which came out in August. It features the voice and songs of Lin-Manuel Miranda, who created the musical Hamilton. In Vivo, he plays a kinkajou—also known as a rainforest honey bear.

The Covid-19 pandemic kept many people away from public spaces. That includes movie theaters. To increase the number of viewers, some movies in 2021 had first showings at both theaters and in homes. One example is Vivo, which came out in August. It features the voice and songs of Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda created the musical Hamilton. In Vivo, he plays a kinkajou—also known as a rainforest honey bear.

Bee Awesome

In July, Zaila Avant-garde, 14, of Louisiana became the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee champ. To win, she correctly spelled the word Murraya. Zaila is the first African American to win the competition.