A SHORT HISTORY OF STAR TREK Star Trek is an epic American science fiction franchise. The Star Trek fictional universe created by Gene Roddenberry is the setting of six television programs including the original 1966 Star Trek, in addition to ten feature films, dozens of computer and video games, hundreds of novels and other fan stories, as well as a themed attraction in Las Vegas. In Star Trek's fictional universe, humans developed faster-than-light space travel after barely surviving a 21st-century World War III. Later, humans united with other sentient species of the galaxy to form the United Federation of Planets. As a result of alien intervention and science, humanity has largely overcome many Earth-bound frailties and vices by the 23rd century. Star Trek stories usually depict the adventures of humans and aliens who serve in the Federation Starfleet. The protagonists are essentially altruistic whose ideals are sometimes only imperfectly applied to the dilemmas presented in the series. The conflicts and political dimensions of Star Trek form allegories for contemporary cultural realities; The Original Series addressed issues of the 1960s, just as more recent spin-offs reflect more modern topics. Issues depicted in the various series include war and peace, authoritarianism, imperialism, class warfare, racism, human rights, sexism, and the role of technology. Star Trek ® is a registered trademark of Paramount Pictures registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Star Trek © , Star Trek: The Next Generation © , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine © , Star Trek: Voyager © , and Star Trek: Enterprise © are Trademarks of Paramount Pictures. VISIT THE STAR WARS PAGE