World events have long had a profound impact on the lives of people all over the globe. Pandemics, wars, political upheaval, technological developments and breakthroughs in science and medicine have reshaped the world as we know it. Centuries-old empires have fallen, paving the way for new forms of government and giving rise to new nations. New ideologies – from fascism to communism – have emerged, and social movements like civil rights have changed our lives forever.

The 14th century’s epidemic of the bubonic plague wiped out 30-60 percent of Europe’s population and had lasting effects on religious, cultural and economic life.

In 1914, the assassination of Austria’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serb sparked a series of military events that led to World War I. The conflict lasted five years, killed millions and changed the face of the world.

By the end of World War II, the United States had extended its influence to countries in eastern Europe and shifted the balance of power away from the capitalist nations toward the Soviet Union. The ensuing Cold War would change the course of world history, with the Soviet Union later extending its control over parts of Asia and Africa.

The current global refugee crisis is the result of a number of ongoing conflicts and the lack of peace agreements between governments. These conflicts have displaced more than 100 million people worldwide. When the numbers of refugees and internally displaced people are combined, they are greater than the total population of Ireland, Lithuania and New Zealand.