The timeline summaries by decade are a snapshot of some major events that provide reference points for each generation because of shared experiences. The lists are not comprehensive but illustrative. Events are in five categories: world events, US events, pop culture, technology, and the US economy.

The Generations:

• The Silent Generation's formative years: 1950s and 1960s
• Older Baby Boomers' formative years: 1960s and 1970s
• Younger Boomers' formative years: 1970s and 1980s
• Gen Xers' formative years: 1980s and 1990s
• Millennials' formative years: 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s
• Generation "Like's" formative years: 2010s–

One way to use the timeline by decade is to select a generation from the above list that is of most interest, then scroll to the decade or decades in which that generation was in its formative years. If, for example, you are interested in Gen Xers, scroll to the 1980s and 1990s.

Although shared experiences provide context for each generation, members of a generation are not the same.