Westchester High School

What Events Happened in 2003

• The new United States Department of Homeland Security officially begins operation
• United States plans for an invasion of Iraq due to an imminent threat from weapons of mass destruction
• The United States and the United Kingdom start with their shock and awe campaign with a massive air strikes on military targets in Baghdad before the invasion of Iraq by Land Forces.
• Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq, is captured in Tikrit by the U.S. 4th Infantry Division.
• A major severe weather outbreak spawned more tornadoes than any week in U.S. history. 393 tornadoes were reported in 19 states
• Earthquake in Boumerdès region of northern Algeria - 2,200 killed
• Lance Armstrong wins his fifth Tour De France
• Do Not Call List starts providing consumers with an opportunity to limit telemarketing calls.
• Armed undercover "sky marshals" are used on Aircraft to prevent terrorist attacks following 9/11
• Americans rename "French Fries" to "Freedom Fries" in protest to France's stand on Iraq
• The last old-style Volkswagen Beetle rolls off its production line in Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
• The highest temperature ever recorded in the UK - 38.5°C (101.3°F) at Brogdale near Faversham in Kent
• Voters recall Governor Gray Davis from office and elect Arnold Schwarzenegger to succeed him.
• The wanted terrorist Abul Abbas is captured in Baghdad
• Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch is amongst those captured US Troops free her 9 days later
• A massive earthquake devastates southeastern Iran. Over 40,000 killed
• Dafur Rebels begin attacking Sudanese government targets, bringing a swift military and police campaign to Darfur causing millions to flee their homes.
• President George W. Bush on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln announces major combat in Iraq is over
  

Popular Culture 2003

• The ABC's 20/20 airs the controversial Granada Television documentary Living with Michael Jackson
  
• Michael Jackson is booked on suspicion of multiple counts of child molestation ( later acquitted )
  
• JK Rowling's fifth Harry Potter book "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is released

Popular Films

• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
  
• Finding Nemo
  
• The Matrix Reloaded
  
• Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
  
• Bruce Almighty
  
• The Last Samurai
  
• Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
  
• The Matrix Revolutions
  
• X2: X-Men United
  
• Bad Boys II
  
• Lost in Translation
  

Popular Musicians

• Amanda Perez
  
• Elton John
  
• Beyoncé
  
• Christina Aguilera
  
• Travis
  
• David Gray
  
• Limp Bizkit
  
• Evanescence
  
• Coldplay
  
• Sheryl Crow
  
• Hilary Duff
  
• Norah Jones
  
• blink-182
  
• Pink
  
• Shania Twain
  
• Madonna
  
• Avril Lavigne
  
• 50 Cent
  
• Clay Aiken
  
• Kylie Minogue
  
• Stereophonics
  
• Kelly Clarkson
  
• Blur
  
• Ashanti
  
• Justin Timberlake
  
• Fleetwood Mac
  
• Eminem
  
• Nelly
  
• P. Diddy

Technology 2003

• The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates over Texas upon reentry, killing all seven astronauts onboard.
• The highly infectious disease SARS ( Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ) spreads from China, Singapore and Vietnam, Worldwide nearly 9,000 People are effected in 15 countries and over 800 die from the effects.
• Human Genome Project successfully completed with 99% of the human genome sequenced to 99.99% accuracy.
• Secretary of State Colin Powell urges the U.N. Security Council to move against Iraq due to possession of weapons of mass destruction
• In the biggest blackout in the history of the north America some 50 million people in the northeastern states of US and southern Canada lose power.
• The birth of Prometea, the first cloned horse by Italian scientists.
• The space probe Galileo makes a fiery dive into Jupiter's atmosphere it was launched in 1989 and is one of the most successful NASA Projects.
• Justice Roy Moore, is suspended when he refused to take down the Ten Commandments from an Alabama state justice building.
• Concorde makes its last commercial flight, bringing the era of airliner supersonic travel to a close, at least for the time being
• Arnold Schwarzenegger is elected Governor of California
• Libya agrees to give Up Chemical Weapons
• Saddam Hussein is captured by U.S. forces
• Concerns continue to grow over possible Asian bird flu outbreak also known as avian influenza.