The 1990's Expansion The Uniqueness of the 1990's The End of an Era Sources

The economic expansion of the 1990's was unique in both duration and character. It was the longest in modern history; extending from March 1991 to March 2001 and it spanned a full ten years—a year and two months longer than the previous record holder (which began in February 1961 and ended in December 1969). Moreover, this current expansion was preceded by a relatively short (and mild) recession of only eight months duration, which in turn had been preceded by the (at that time) longest peacetime expansion in history, extending from November 1982 through July 1990. Thus, except for the recession of July 1990 through March 1991, the U.S. economy had been expanding almost continuously for more than eighteen years.