Causes And Effects Of 9/11

One of the most infamous events in U.S. history is the morning of September 11, 2001. On this dreadful day, a group of Islamic extremists performed a truly devastating terrorist attack on our country. Their harrowing task was achieved by hijacking four planes from U.S. airlines and diverting their courses, crashing them into important buildings. This was an atrocious attack that led to the loss of thousands of lives and impacted many others. 9/11 was indisputably an incredibly tragic happening with many intricate causes, significant actions, and lasting effects.

The attack of 9/11 was especially complex, and one of the causes that led up to it was the impactful events going on in the world. These affecting events, such as the Iranian Revolution,

planes crashing into important buildings. Of these four hijacked planes, one hit the Pentagon, resulting in about 64 people dead. Another crashed in an open field in Pennsylvania, after it was retaken by the incredibly brave passengers who realized what was going on and took action. Their heroic behavior diverted the plane's course, killing everyone who was on board, but saving the lives of possibly thousands. Although, the most damaging strike was when two planes hit the Twin Towers or the World Trade Center. These two crashes are responsible for the death of 2,996 innocent Americans. According to John Pritchard, “At approximately 8:45 a.m, Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in the lower Manhattan district of New York City.” (Pritchard 1) After the first plane hit, the citizens below were stunned, unsure of exactly what had happened. Some people guessed a plane had unintentionally crashed into the World Trade Center since it was a U.S. plane. However, after another plane hit the second tower at 9:03 a.m., the truth of a terrorist attack began to

Many of these effects were very unexpected, so they wreaked havoc all over the country. An author wrote, “Toxic dust unleashed by the collapse of New York's Twin Towers resulted in health issues for first responders and workers. Many died as a result; many others live today with the consequences.” As the Towers fell, the walls crumbled, showering the city below in a layer of dust. This harmful dust was then inhaled by the people nearby, resulting in long-lasting health issues and medical problems. People still struggle with these damaging effects which are felt to this day by those who witnessed the terrifying event. Although 9/11 brought many cataclysmic effects, it also brought our country together during a hard time. As one source puts it, “Perhaps the most pertinent is the sense of unity that emanated from the aftermath of the attacks. That spirit tapped into all Americans, serving as a reminder of our commonalities and a shared belief in our strength and resolve.” (“Effects of 9/11”) Due to 9/11, Americans realized they could do much more together than they could split apart. This sense of unity was quite long-lasting, and it was carried into the Afghanistan War. Amidst all the horrors of 9/11, it brought the U.S. together and unified once