1942: The secret military “Manhattan Project” created to develop the first US nuclear weapons, as part of the nuclear arms race between the United States, the Soviet Union and their respective allies.

1945: The first US nuclear bombs are used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, ultimately leading to the end of World War II. Succeeding the war’s end, world governments competitively spend massive amounts of money to further the advancement of warfare weapons and technology, particularly weapons of mass destruction.

1947: The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is formed to collect and distribute information regarding foreign policy intelligence and analysis.

1950: Top secret Tamarind expedition executed. Many of Earth’s population note these UFO sightings, however this is not the first time it’s been recorded throughout human history; sightings and interaction date back to the early civilizations, though no scientific evidence is made public.

1957: Major breakthroughs in artificial intelligence are made.

1958: The National Aeronautics and Space Act is signed, creating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Shortly thereafter, a top secret facility in Nevada named “Area 51” is revealed to be used for testing related to space findings and “other experiments.”

1962: In reaction to the installation of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, President Kennedy makes a similar show of force by unveiling new military weapons: particle beams, mother boxes, and boom tubes. Ultimately, however, the Soviet Union and the U.S. agree to not engage in any acts of war.

1969: Hover cars and boards hit the market.

1970: Justice Society of America (JSA) formed; the birth of “super” heroes.

1972: As the Watergate scandal breaks, Americans are glued to their phones and TVs, watching the debacle unfold through holographic broadcasts.

1974: Infant found amidst the debris left by a crashed UFO in Smallville, Kansas.

1981: Thomas Wayne, owner of Wayne Enterprises, and his wife Martha Wayne are murdered on Park Row in Gotham City.

1985: Much to the surprise of political pundits, despite his instrumental role in the development of the particle-beam gun, scientist and professor Thomas Morrow is appointed Secretary of Defense.

1986: A.I. pop group, New Kids on the Block, take the world by storm with their debut.

1988: LexCorp trades publicly for the first time, setting record high opening days on the U.S. Stock Market in only its first year.

1991: The end of the Cold War and the advancement of technology marks a seismic shift in priorities for the CIA. Responsibilities have grown to now include counterterrorism, nonproliferation of advanced weapons and weapons of mass destruction, warning/informing American leaders of important overseas events, counterintelligence, cyber intelligence and warning/informing American leaders of extraterrestrial threat/contact.

1992: Beating advancements made since the 60’s in Japan, America’s first high speed rail system is finally completed, with its grand terminal built in Central City, allowing for cross-country travel in only a matter of hours. Rogue scientists alert the media of the use of a cosmic force known as the speed force to aid the system.

1992: The first exoskeleton brain-implant is a success. Corporations make a mass move to implant exoskeleton chips into employees' brains. The landscaping and many manual labor intensive fields—construction, many of the skilled trade jobs—see rapid implementation of these originations.

1993: Women now make up half of the workforce, as the proliferation of automated robots in homes have alleviated traditional gender roles for most families.

1993: The Supreme Court of the United States rules in the first criminal action against a sentient A.I. A.I. who randomly gain sentience may still be punished by the State.

1994: The “Crime Bill” passes, leading to President Clinton’s commission of Arkham Asylum. The asylum is effective in cleaning up Gotham’s streets, and is hailed a massive success.

1996: Grounded cars officially phase out of the market, with manufacturers that were unable to keep up with hover car production going out of business (e.g. Ford, Honda). 

1996: Kids go crazy for simulations. While they had been slowly gaining popularity in the workforce, allowing for greater employee training, they have now been fully monopolized by the entertainment industry. Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC go on to become the largest sellers of simulation merchandise.

1996: Congress debates exoskeleton control after another black market exoskeleton death occurs.

1996: Supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell popularize synthetic high fashion.

1996: Reputable publications rank Metropolis the “Best City in the World”.

1996: The southern states grow weary of the country’s hyper-advancement, fearing these developments threaten their states’ rights to decide how best to allocate their resources.

1997: The Daily Planet building in Metropolis completes its reconstruction; at over 2,700 feet, it becomes the tallest building in the world.

1997: Civil rights activists complain of Arkham Asylum’s rising population and accuse the prison’s doctors of inhumane experimentation on patients.

1997: President Clinton lodges sanctions against Gotham City, New Jersey for its apparent-resurgence of crime, restricting their access to hover cars. Gotham is the only city to still rely on grounded cars.

January 17, 1998: Clinton-Lewinsky scandal breaks.

January 27, 1998: A resolution to amend the U.S. Constitution and allow the secession of the then-colloquially dubbed “Federalist States” is introduced in Congress.

August 1998: Florida man attempts to marry his automated robot.

November 3, 1998: The Arkham Asylum riots become the most violent prison riot in American history, resulting in several breakouts, deaths and thirteen officers taken hostage.

December 19, 1998: Bill Clinton is impeached by the House of Representatives.

January 1, 1999: Atlantis reappears.

January 7, 1999: The Senate trial in the impeachment of President Bill Clinton begins.

January 21, 1999: The United States Coast Guard makes the largest drug bust in American history, intercepting a ship with over 16,500 pounds of cocaine aboard headed for Gotham.

February 12, 1999: President Bill Clinton is acquitted by the Senate.

March 21, 1999: The Matrix—a movie with an all-A.I.-cast—becomes the first of its kind to win Best Picture at the Oscars following its January release.

April 8, 1999: Alexander Luthor surpasses $200 billion, edging out Warren Buffet and Bill Gates as the richest man in America.

April 1999: Through approval from Congress and states, cessation of the old U.S. South is finalized. Reorganization begins.

July 1999: Crime in Gotham City reaches a new peak, officially making it one of the most dangerous cities in the entire world; it holds the highest poverty, crime and murder rate in North America by a large margin. As a result, President Bill Clinton has military blockades set at its borders to prevent easy entry or exit, in hopes of keeping the crime wave contained within the city and managed.

August 1999: Sales of violent virtual reality video games and other media depicting graphic violence are limited across the country amidst the Gotham influenced panic, with experts warning of a wave of copycat criminals who will replicate their brutality.

August 1999: Tony Hawk became the first to land a “1000” on a hoverboard, following his “900” trick just months before on a skateboard.

October 1999: The New American Supreme Court rules LexCorp is in violation of antitrust laws, citing "unregulated and unreasonable practice" toward its competitors.

November 1999: The Tamarind expedition of 1950 is exposed by way of leaked CIA documentation. The dark web becomes a new priority for the reorganized government.

December 1999: Diana of Themyscira leaves Themyscira and sets foot on “Man’s World.”

December 31, 1999: The “New Reformation of the United States” and the “Federalist States of America” are recognized internationally as new territories.

January 1, 2000: Brainiac appears.