9/11 Attacks
The September 11 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people and reshaping American foreign and domestic policy for decades.
Within the span of just a few hours on a single morning, four coordinated attacks reshaped American national security policy, foreign relations, and everyday civic life for the following two decades.
Coordinated Attacks
On September 11, 2001, terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes, crashing two into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, one into the Pentagon, and one into a Pennsylvania field.
Nearly Three Thousand Deaths
The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people, marking the deadliest terrorist attack in world history and the deadliest foreign attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor.
Launching the War on Terror
The attacks prompted the United States to launch a global "War on Terror," including invasions of Afghanistan and later Iraq, fundamentally reshaping American foreign policy for the following two decades.
Lasting Domestic Impact
The attacks led to significant changes in American domestic policy, including the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and substantially heightened airport and public security measures worldwide.
