{
  "version": "historical-context-1",
  "reviewedAt": "2026-10-21",
  "method": "Selected, sourced events, not an exhaustive history. Event names/dates/geographic relevance are documented facts. Personal exposure and all score/savings effects are fictional game rules, not historical effect estimates. Areas use current statistical codes; only established fictional locations permit direct disaster exposure. Multi-year endpoints for social/economic events describe a limited game context window, not universal recovery dates.",
  "events": [
    {
      "id": "worldWarOne",
      "startYear": 1914,
      "endYear": 1918,
      "countries": [
        "GBR",
        "FRA",
        "DEU",
        "AUT",
        "HUN",
        "BEL",
        "ITA",
        "RUS",
        "UKR",
        "BLR",
        "POL",
        "SRB",
        "ROU",
        "BGR",
        "TUR"
      ],
      "title": "First World War",
      "context": "War disrupted civilian supplies, livelihoods and family contact in affected areas. Do not assume enlistment, combat or personal bereavement. Borders and state names differed from today.",
      "kind": "conflict",
      "source": "https://www.archives.gov/topics/wwi"
    },
    {
      "id": "influenza1918",
      "startYear": 1918,
      "endYear": 1919,
      "countries": [],
      "title": "1918 influenza pandemic",
      "context": "A worldwide influenza pandemic affected communities. Local responses and personal exposure varied; do not invent a diagnosis or cause of death.",
      "kind": "pandemic",
      "source": "https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-pandemic-h1n1.html"
    },
    {
      "id": "greatDepression",
      "startYear": 1929,
      "endYear": 1939,
      "countries": [],
      "title": "Great Depression",
      "context": "The downturn spread internationally. Household budgets and work opportunities could tighten; severity and recovery differed by country. Do not assume a particular family lost a job or home.",
      "kind": "economic",
      "source": "https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/great-depression"
    },
    {
      "id": "worldWarTwo",
      "startYear": 1939,
      "endYear": 1945,
      "countries": [
        "GBR",
        "FRA",
        "DEU",
        "AUT",
        "HUN",
        "BEL",
        "ITA",
        "RUS",
        "UKR",
        "BLR",
        "POL",
        "SRB",
        "ROU",
        "BGR",
        "NOR",
        "NLD",
        "GRC",
        "CZE",
        "SVK",
        "DNK",
        "FIN"
      ],
      "title": "Second World War in Europe",
      "context": "War affected civilian routines, supplies and mobility. Specific bombing, persecution, displacement and military service require established personal facts; never make everyone a combatant.",
      "kind": "conflict",
      "source": "https://www.archives.gov/research/military/ww2"
    },
    {
      "id": "pacificWar",
      "startYear": 1941,
      "endYear": 1945,
      "countries": [
        "JPN",
        "CHN",
        "KOR",
        "PRK",
        "PHL",
        "IDN",
        "MYS",
        "SGP",
        "THA",
        "VNM",
        "KHM",
        "LAO",
        "MMR",
        "PNG"
      ],
      "title": "War in Asia and the Pacific",
      "context": "War and occupation disrupted ordinary life across parts of Asia and the Pacific. Exposure differed greatly within each present-day area; do not invent a character’s direct participation or loss.",
      "kind": "conflict",
      "source": "https://www.archives.gov/research/military/ww2"
    },
    {
      "id": "partition1947",
      "startYear": 1947,
      "endYear": 1948,
      "countries": [
        "IND",
        "PAK",
        "BGD"
      ],
      "title": "Independence and Partition",
      "context": "British India became independent India and Pakistan in 1947; the area of present-day Bangladesh was East Pakistan. Partition involved large movements of people. Do not assume a particular family migrated or experienced violence.",
      "kind": "social",
      "source": "https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/independence-and-partition-1947"
    },
    {
      "id": "koreanWar",
      "startYear": 1950,
      "endYear": 1953,
      "countries": [
        "KOR",
        "PRK"
      ],
      "title": "Korean War",
      "context": "War disrupted civilian life on the Korean peninsula. Do not assume military service, injury, bereavement or a specific displacement unless established by the game. The 1953 armistice was not a peace treaty.",
      "kind": "conflict",
      "source": "https://www.army.mil/koreanwar/?level=1"
    },
    {
      "id": "oilShock",
      "startYear": 1973,
      "endYear": 1974,
      "countries": [],
      "title": "Oil crisis",
      "context": "The oil-price shock affected energy costs and economic conditions. Consequences differed between importers and exporters. Show household or workplace pressure only where it fits this person.",
      "kind": "economic",
      "source": "https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/oil-shock-of-1973-74"
    },
    {
      "id": "chinaReform",
      "startYear": 1978,
      "endYear": 1984,
      "countries": [
        "CHN"
      ],
      "title": "Reform and opening",
      "context": "Economic reform began in China in 1978. Changes in work and learning opportunities developed unevenly; private enterprise, mobility and consumer access did not appear everywhere immediately.",
      "kind": "opportunity",
      "source": "https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/country/china"
    },
    {
      "id": "berlinWall",
      "startYear": 1989,
      "endYear": 1990,
      "countries": [
        "DEU"
      ],
      "title": "Fall of the Berlin Wall",
      "context": "The Berlin Wall opened in November 1989, followed by German reunification. Do not assume the character lived in Berlin or on either side of the former border.",
      "kind": "social",
      "source": "https://history.state.gov/milestones/1989-1992/collapse-soviet-union"
    },
    {
      "id": "sovietDissolution",
      "startYear": 1991,
      "endYear": 1993,
      "countries": [
        "RUS",
        "UKR",
        "BLR",
        "EST",
        "LVA",
        "LTU",
        "MDA",
        "GEO",
        "ARM",
        "AZE",
        "KAZ",
        "UZB",
        "TKM",
        "KGZ",
        "TJK"
      ],
      "title": "Dissolution of the Soviet Union",
      "context": "The Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Institutions and everyday economic conditions changed unevenly across the successor states. Before dissolution use Soviet-era terminology when appropriate.",
      "kind": "economic",
      "source": "https://history.state.gov/milestones/1989-1992/collapse-soviet-union"
    },
    {
      "id": "publicWeb",
      "startYear": 1993,
      "endYear": 1993,
      "countries": [],
      "title": "The Web becomes openly available",
      "context": "CERN released the Web software to the public domain in 1993. This was not instant universal household internet access; adoption depended on infrastructure, place and resources.",
      "kind": "technology",
      "source": "https://home.cern/science/computing/the-birth-of-the-web"
    },
    {
      "id": "southAfricaElection",
      "startYear": 1994,
      "endYear": 1994,
      "countries": [
        "ZAF"
      ],
      "title": "South Africa’s first non-racial democratic election",
      "context": "The first non-racial democratic elections took place in 1994. Political participation expanded, while inequality and personal circumstances did not disappear overnight. Do not infer the character’s race or politics.",
      "kind": "social",
      "source": "https://southafrica.un.org/en/about/about-the-un"
    },
    {
      "id": "asianCrisis",
      "startYear": 1997,
      "endYear": 1999,
      "countries": [
        "THA",
        "IDN",
        "KOR",
        "MYS",
        "PHL"
      ],
      "title": "Asian financial crisis",
      "context": "The crisis began in Thailand in 1997 and affected several Asian economies. Work, savings plans and family budgets faced pressure, with differing local severity.",
      "kind": "economic",
      "source": "https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/1999/06/aghevli.htm"
    },
    {
      "id": "indianOceanTsunami",
      "startYear": 2004,
      "endYear": 2004,
      "countries": [
        "IDN",
        "LKA",
        "IND",
        "THA",
        "MDV",
        "MYS",
        "SOM"
      ],
      "title": "Indian Ocean tsunami",
      "context": "The December tsunami devastated specific coastal areas. The character’s city/coast is unknown: use news, concern or relief efforts unless a directly affected location was already established. Do not invent injury, bereavement or destroyed property.",
      "kind": "disaster",
      "source": "https://tsunami.ioc.unesco.org/en/indian-ocean?hub=49"
    },
    {
      "id": "financialCrisis",
      "startYear": 2008,
      "endYear": 2009,
      "countries": [],
      "title": "Global financial crisis",
      "context": "Financial stress and recession affected economies through different channels. Connect it to appropriate work or household decisions; do not treat investment losses or unemployment as established individual facts.",
      "kind": "economic",
      "source": "https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/great-recession-and-its-aftermath"
    },
    {
      "id": "japanEarthquake",
      "startYear": 2011,
      "endYear": 2011,
      "countries": [
        "JPN"
      ],
      "title": "Great East Japan Earthquake",
      "context": "The March earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan. The character’s prefecture is unknown: use indirect national context unless their location was already established. Do not assume direct physical exposure, radiation illness or family deaths.",
      "kind": "disaster",
      "source": "https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2021/03/11/learning-from-megadisasters-a-decade-of-lessons-from-the-great-east-japan-earthquake-drmhubtokyo"
    },
    {
      "id": "covid",
      "startYear": 2020,
      "endYear": 2022,
      "countries": [],
      "title": "COVID-19 pandemic",
      "context": "The pandemic affected schooling, work, social contact and care. Policies, closures and access to remote work varied by country and resources. Do not assume universal lockdown, infection or a particular family death.",
      "kind": "pandemic",
      "source": "https://www.who.int/europe/emergencies/situations/covid-19"
    }
  ]
}