With the holidays coming up, the year of 2014 is nearing its end. These 365 days have been filled with excitement with broken records and new history. Here are the nine highlights of 2014!
February 2nd, 2014- Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl XLVII
The Seattle Seahawks became Super Bowl champions, defeating the Denver Broncos 43- 8 at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. This was the third largest point difference in Super Bowl history. Quarterback Russell Wilson brought the Seahawks their first Super Bowl victory, with Malcolm Smith, Linebacker of the Seattle Seahawks, named MVP. The Super Bowl XLVII broadcast had 111.5 million viewers, making it the most watched television program in U.S. history.
February 6th, 2014- Jay Leno ends his time on The Tonight Show
Jay Leno’s final episode on The Tonight Show aired on February 6, 2014. His job on the late- night show came to an end after 22 years as host. Jimmy Fallon was then passed on this job as show host, with his first episode airing on February 14. Jimmy Fallon has been met with many positive reviews and 11.3 million viewers in the United States.
February 7th, 2014- Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympics took place in Sochi, Russia from February 7 through February 23. Norway’s Marit Bjorgen, cross-country skier, became the most successful female Winter Olympian, winning 10 medals. The USA Men’s Hockey Team came close to winning a medal, but they lost the Bronze medal game to Finland. The United States took home a total of 28 medals, 9 of which were gold, coming second to Russia, who won a total of 33 medals.
March 2nd, 2014- 86th Academy Awards
The 86th Academy Awards, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, took place on March 2, 2014. The movie, 12 Years a Slave, was named best picture. Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto won best actor and supporting actor, respectively, for their roles in the movie, Dallas Buyers Club. Meanwhile, Cate Blanchet won best actress for her role in Blue Jasmine and Lupita Nyongo won best supporting actress for 12 Years a Slave. Robert Lopez became the youngest individual to win an Academy, Grammy, Tony, and Emmy Award when he won for best original song in Frozen.
March 8th, 2014- Malaysia Flight 370 disappears
On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Flight 370 left the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia to Beijing Capital International Airport, People’s Republic of China. Air traffic control soon lost contact with the flight. It disappeared along with 239 passengers, prompting the most expensive search effort in history. The crash sight was never found and there has been no confirmation of any debris. At the time, Flight 370 was the deadliest aviation accident for Malaysia Airlines, but was soon surpassed by the unrelated crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, presumed to have been shot down. This resulted in the death of another 298 passengers.
July 13th, 2014- 2014 FIFA World Cup Final
On July 13, Germany defeated Argentina to win the 2014 World Cup, which took place in Brazil. Germany earned its fourth title as World Cup Champion after beating Argentina 1-0 in overtime. Miroslav Klose, striker on the German team, became the top scorer in World Up history in their semi- final victory over Brazil. This game was one of the most highly anticipated games in World Cup history, as many saw this as a match up between the best player in the world, Lionel Messi from Argentina and the best team in the world, Germany.
September 27th, 2014- The West Africa death toll from Ebola reaches 3,000 lives
Ebola has been the cause of a lot of panic in 2014. This virus is spread through the direct contact of bodily fluids, such as blood. It is thought to have started in Guinea in March, then spreading to Liberia and Sierra Leone. In America, there have been four cases of Ebola, only one resulting in death.
October 10th, 2014- Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi win the Nobel Peace Prize
This year, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to 17- year-old Malala Yousafzai and 60-year-old Kailash Satyarthi. Both Malala and Kailash have fought against the suppression of children and fought for the right of education. Kailash headed many protests, all of which were peaceful. He has brought to attention the exploitation of children for financial gains. Malala has been a proud advocate and spokesperson girls’ education. Malala and Kailash are true heroes, fighting for equality and equal opportunity for all, starting with education.
November 24th, 2014- Verdict of Ferguson’s trial
Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man, was fatally shot by a 28-year-old, white police officer, Darren Wilson. This event has been the cause of much controversy concerning police use of force and relationship with African Americans over the course of 2014. Brown and a friend were walking down the middle of the street, after Brown had assaulted a shopkeeper. Wilson drove up to them and an argument followed, ending with Wilson’s gun firing. Protests have erupted, due to racial tensions and the belief that Brown was surrendering when Wilson fired. On November 24, 2014, it was announced that Darren Wilson would not be indicted for his actions, sparking even more controversy throughout America.
