Date: Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Time and Sequence of Events (All times Eastern Daylight Time – EDT):
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8:46 AM: American Airlines Flight 11 (a Boeing 767) is deliberately flown into the North Tower (1 World Trade Center) of the World Trade Center in New York City, striking between floors 93 and 99.
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9:03 AM: United Airlines Flight 175 (a Boeing 767) is flown into the South Tower (2 World Trade Center), striking between floors 77 and 85.
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9:37 AM: American Airlines Flight 77 (a Boeing 757) is flown into the western side of The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.
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9:59 AM: The South Tower of the World Trade Center collapses entirely after burning for approximately 56 minutes.
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10:03 AM: United Airlines Flight 93 (a Boeing 757) crashes into a field in Stonycreek Township near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The official 9/11 Commission Report concluded the hijackers’ target was likely the U.S. Capitol Building or the White House in Washington, D.C. The crash occurred after passengers, who had learned of the other attacks via phone calls, attempted to storm the cockpit and regain control of the plane.
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10:28 AM: The North Tower of the World Trade Center collapses after burning for 102 minutes.
Statistics and Impact:
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Total Fatalities: 2,977 people were killed (not including the 19 hijackers). This includes:
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World Trade Center: 2,606 people (including 2,192 civilians, 343 firefighters, and 71 law enforcement officers from various agencies).
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The Pentagon: 125 people (70 civilians and 55 military personnel).
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Flight 93: 40 passengers and crew.
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Flight 11: 87 passengers and crew.
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Flight 175: 60 passengers and crew.
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Flight 77: 59 passengers and crew.
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Economic Damage: Estimates of the economic impact range into the hundreds of billions of dollars due to destroyed infrastructure, stock market closures, massive job losses in the following months, and the subsequent costs of the “War on Terror.”
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Global and Psychological Impact: The attacks were broadcast live around the world, creating a profound sense of shock, vulnerability, and collective trauma that defined a generation. It remains the deadliest terrorist act in world history.
The Perpetrators: The attacks were carried out by 19 terrorists from the Islamist extremist group al-Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden. The hijackers, 15 of whom were from Saudi Arabia, easily passed through security checkpoints at multiple airports with small knives and box cutters, which were not prohibited items at the time. They used these weapons and the threat of (non-existent) bombs to take control of the four aircraft.
Immediate and Long-Term Consequences:
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The “War on Terror”: The U.S. government declared a global “War on Terror,” leading to the invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001 to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban regime that harbored them.
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Creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS): Established in 2002, this new cabinet-level department consolidated 22 federal agencies to better coordinate national security efforts.
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The USA PATRIOT Act: This legislation significantly expanded the surveillance and investigative powers of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies, though it has been a subject of intense debate over civil liberties.
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Aviation Security: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created to federalize and standardize airport security screening. Cockpit doors were reinforced, and security protocols worldwide were drastically overhauled.
The events of September 11, 2001, were a pivotal moment in modern history, with profound and lasting consequences for U.S. domestic and foreign policy, international relations, and global security.
