Which generation do I belong to? A breakdown from the Silent Generation to Gen Alpha

Throughout the last century, the United States has undergone many cultural changes.

Major historic events from World War II to the Civil Rights Movement, 9/11, the COVID-19 pandemic or even the invention of the smartphone have reshaped the country and the world.

How these things impacted you, as well as your attitudes and behaviors on key issues could be vary depending on your age demographic or cohort.

According to the Pew Research Center , age cohorts "give researchers a tool to analyze changes in views over time; they can provide a way to understand how different formative experiences interact with the life-cycle aging process to shape people's view of the world."

One way to group age cohorts is by generation. The Pew Research Center defines a generation as "groups of people born over a 15- to 20-year span."

The United States population is currently made up of six generational cohorts ranging from the silent generation, who came about during World War II, and Gen Alpha, who are still being born.

You may be wondering, which generation am I?

Here is a breakdown of each generation and their widely accepted year ranges, according to the Pew Research Center .

The Silent Generation: Born between 1928 and 1945 (ages 79 to 96)

Born between 1928 and 1945, the Silent Generation is sandwiched between the greatest generation, the fighters and laborers of World War II, and the baby boomers.

The term "Silent Generation" was originally popularized in a 1951 Time magazine essay that aimed to paint a picture of the youth of the time, whose childhoods were marked by the Great Depression and World War II. Their coming of age was met with the uncertainty of the Cold War while the U.S. economy was simultaneously experiencing a post-war boom , providing young members of the silent generation with an abundance of employment and economic opportunities.

"Youth today is waiting for the hand of fate to fall on its shoulder, meanwhile working fairly hard and saying almost nothing," said the essay. "The most startling fact about the younger generation is silence."

Although they have been dubbed "silent" and have been described as cautious, particularly in terms of their finances, the silent generation did not remain silent with generational figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr. leading massive movements for social change.

Today, members of the Silent Generation range between ages 79 and 96.

Baby boomers: Born between 1946 and 1964 (ages 60 to 78)

The baby boom kicked off in 1946 when 3.4 million babies were born, more than ever before, according to History .

In 1947, another 3.8 million babies were born and in 1953, 3.9 million babies were born.

Between 1954 and 1964, over 4 million babies were born every year. By the time the boom finally began to taper, there were 76.4 million "baby boomers" residing in the United States making up almost 40% of the nation's population, according to History.

Historians credit the baby boom to several factors including a desire for normalcy after years of war and depression as well as the combination of older Americans who postponed marriage and children during the Great Depression and World War II with younger adults who were eager to start families.

According to History, many people during the postwar era believed that the future would be comfortable and prosperous and looked forward to having children.

Today, baby boomers range between ages 60 and 78.

Generation X: Born between 1965 and 1980 (ages 44 to 59)

Members of Generation X were born between 1965 and 1980.

According to Forbes , Gen X has been referred to as the "slacker generation" or the "forgotten middle child," as they have "fallen off the radar among marketers."

Brittanica describes Generation X as being resourceful and independent with a keen interest in maintaining a work-life balance.

Gen X grew up in a time when there were more dual-income families, single-parent households and children of divorce than the boomers did. They were the first generation to grow up with personal computers and widely available cable television.

Gen X lived through several significant events, growing up during the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. They witnessed the first successful space shuttle flight in 1981 as well as the tragic explosion of the Challenger five years later.

Their childhood and young adulthood saw "shaky economic times," according to Britannica, which have continued to impact many Gen X'ers throughout adulthood.

Gen X currently ranges between ages 44 and 59.

Millennials: Born between 1981 and 1996 (ages 28 to 43)

Millennials, also known as Generation Y, were born between 1981 and 1996.

According to the Pew Research Center , the cutoff between millennials and their successors, Gen Z, was determined based on "key political, economic and social factors that define the millennial generation's formative years."

Some of these defining factors include the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the 2008 election and the economic recession during which many millennials came of age, shaping their "life choices, future earnings and entrance to adulthood."

The nickname "millennials" was coined by historians Neil Howe and William Strauss in 1991, choosing the name because "their research made it clear this generation ... would be drastically different than the one before and therefore needed a distinct name," according to Forbes . Additionally, the oldest of the generation would graduate high school in 2000, the start of the new millennium.

In 2019, millennials surpassed baby boomers as the nation's largest living adult generation, according to the Pew Research Center .

Millennials are currently between the ages of 28 and 43.

Generation Z: Born between 1997 and 2012 (ages 12 to 27)

Members of Generation Z, the second-to-youngest living generation, were born between 1997 and 2012.

According to the Pew Research Center , Gen Z'ers are facing a unique set of circumstances as they begin to enter into adulthood. Originally in line to inherit a strong economy with record-low employment, COVID-19 has since "reshaped the country's social, political and economic landscape." These factors have created an uncertain future for Gen Z.

Additionally, Gen Z is different from previous generations in the fact that it is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation, according to the Pew Research Center. Many Gen Z'ers also have grown up in the digital age, having little to no memory of life before smartphones and modern technology.

However, much of Gen Z is similar to millennials in the way that they view social and political issues, with many members of both generations being progressive and pro-government.

Gen Z currently ranges between ages 12 and 27.

Generation Alpha: Born between 2013 and today (ages birth to 11)

The youngest generational cohort is Generation Alpha, those born in 2013 onward.

The oldest members of Gen Alpha are 11 years old.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Which generation do I belong to? A breakdown from the Silent Generation to Gen Alpha