1990s

The 1990s was a significant decade, being at the cusp of not only a new century but a new millennium. In some regard, it was considered a peaceful time because of the end of the Cold War (1947–1991). The fall of the Soviet Union, which ended the decades-long Cold War, was one of the defining moments of the early 1990s. It led to a restructuring of the international balance of power and opened up new opportunities for overseas trade.

For the United States, the end of the Cold War also meant a restructuring of its foreign policy. Technology, too, played a major role in the decade as computer technology became widely adopted for both communication and e-commerce, providing new ways...