Generational Cycle in the United States
“A generation is a group of people who are born over the same time span
and who share a collective personality.”*
This table covers the names and dates of the generations in the United States.
|
Generation Name
|
Generation Type
|
Years Born
|
Total Number
|
Generational Cycle
|
|
Puritan
|
Idealist
|
1584-1614
|
25,000
|
Colonial Cycle
|
|
Cavalier
|
Reactive
|
1615-1647
|
100,000
|
Colonial Cycle
|
|
Glorious
|
Civic
|
1648-1673
|
160,000
|
Colonial Cycle
|
|
Enlightenment
|
Adaptive
|
1674-1700
|
340,000
|
Colonial Cycle
|
|
Awakening
|
Idealist
|
1701-1723
|
550,000
|
Revolutionary Cycle
|
|
Liberty
|
Reactive
|
1724-1741
|
1,100,00
|
Revolutionary Cycle
|
|
Republican
|
Civic
|
1742-1766
|
2,100,00
|
Revolutionary Cycle
|
|
Compromise
|
Adaptive
|
1767-1791
|
4,200,000
|
Revolutionary Cycle
|
|
Transcendental
|
Idealist
|
1792-1821
|
11,000,000
|
Civil War Cycle
|
|
Gilded
|
Reactive
|
1822-1842
|
17,000,000
|
Civil War Cycle
|
|
Progressive
|
Adaptive
|
1843-1859
|
22,000,000
|
Civil War Cycle
|
|
Missionary
|
Idealist
|
1860-1882
|
45,000,000
|
Great Power Cycle
|
|
Lost
|
Reactive
|
1883-1900
|
45,000,000
|
Great Power Cycle
|
|
G.I.
|
Civic
|
1901-1924
|
63,000,000
|
Great Power Cycle
|
|
Silent
|
Adaptive
|
1925-1942
|
49,000,000
|
Great Power Cycle
|
|
Boom*
|
Idealist
|
1943-1960
|
79,000,000
|
Millennial
Cycle
|
|
Generation X
(Thirteenth**) |
Reactive
|
1961-1981
|
93,000,000
|
Millennial
Cycle
|
|
Millennial
|
Civic? ***
|
1982-2003? ***
|
76,000,000
|
Millennial
Cycle
|
This table is part of a bigger table from the book Generations, the History of America’s Future, 1584-2069.
*“Saving for a lifetime advancing generational prosperity.” U.S. Department of Labor
** Generations, the History of America’s Future, 1584-2069 describes this generation as the Thirteenth but most sources call this generation, Generation X
*** The question marks in this table also occur in the Generations, the History of America’s Future, 1584-2069.
*** The question marks in this table also occur in the Generations, the History of America’s Future, 1584-2069.
Sources:
“Saving for a lifetime advancing generational prosperity.” U.S. Department of Labor
“Saving for a lifetime advancing generational prosperity.” U.S. Department of Labor
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/02NatlSummitFinal.pdf
Strauss, William and Howe, Neil. Generations, the History of America’s Future, 1584-2069. New York: Morrow. 1991. Page 428.
Strauss, William and Howe, Neil. Generations, the History of America’s Future, 1584-2069. New York: Morrow. 1991. Page 428.