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Al Qaeda formed
The terrorist group called Al Qaeda was formed in 1988. One of the main leaders of Al Qaeda was Osama bin Laden and the photo shows the flag of Al Qaeda. -
Bomb explodes below the World Trade Center
A bomb explodes below the World Trade Center in the parking garage and kills 6 people and injures nearly 1,000. The suspects were linked to Islamic extremists, but surprisingly not linked to the terrorist group Al Qaeda. Even though the bomb was never linked to Al Qaeda, it caused a lot of suspicion. -
Attack on the American Embassy
In East Africa, two American Embassies were attacked. Bombs were placed in two trucks and 213 people were killed. The bombs were placed in the trucks by members of the terrorist group, Al Qaeda. -
Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower (1st attack)
At 8:46 a.m. the first plane (American Airlines Flight 11) crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade center. Mohammed Atta was the high jacker of Flight 11 and when he crashed the plane into the North Tower it killed hundreds of workers in the building, along with everyone on board. The photo shows the twin towers next to each other and the first highjacked plane damage. -
Planes banned from taking off
5 minutes after the plane crashed into the South Tower, all planes taking off from or going to New York City were banned. A few minutes later bridges and tunnels in New York City were closed. -
Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower (2nd attack)
NY officials demand everyone in the South Tower evacuate immediately. At 9:03 a.m. the second highjacked plane (Flight 175) crashes into the South Tower once again killing hundreds in the building and everyone on board. The photo shows the twin towers collapsing. -
Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon
At 9:37 a.m. another highjacked plane (Flight 77) crashed into the Pentagon bulding in Washington D.C. This plane crash killed 59 passengers on the flight and 125 people inside the Pentagon. The photo shows the damage done to the Pentagon. -
Passengers on Flight 93 make a heroic move
At 10:07 a.m. the last plane was planning to go crash into a building in Washington D.C. Passengers aboard the plane called family and friends to say a final goodbye before they took control of the plane and crashed it into an empty field in Pennsylvania. By crashing the plane into the empty field, the passengers knew it would not harm as many people. The people aboard flight 93 risked their lives to save others and are true heroes. -
US declares for military operations in Afghanistan
George W. Bush declares military operations in Afghanistan hoping the get rid of the terrorist group, Al Qaeda. The US launched "Operation Enduring Freedom" and many military bases were built all over the major cities in Afghanistan. -
Airstrikes in Kabul
U.S. military drops bombs in the city of Kabul in Afghanistan. At first, George W. Bush decided to bomb Kabul rather than sending troops because he wanted to eliminate as many terrorists as possible before risking American soldiers lives. The photo shows Khanaqa, a small village about 34 miles outside Kabul, up in flames after U.S airstrikes. -
Patriot Act
The Patriot Act was passed in 2001. This act gave the government descretion to listen to phone conversations and track email and texts of U.S citizens suspected of having ties with suspicous organizations that might be planning terrorist attacks. A lot of controversy errupted after the Patriot Act was passed. -
Transportation Security Administration is founded
The TSA was founded a month after the 9/11 attacks. The goal of the TSA was to protect against any dangerous items or substances being taken onto planes and ultimately trying to prevent terrorism. -
Guantanamo Bay opens
Guantanamo Bay is a military prison located in Cuba and it was opened in 2002. Suspected "enemy combatants" are sent to Guantanamo and tortured. The goverment opened this detention camp in hopes if getting any information of possible terrorist attacks. The photo shows a picture of inmates in Guantanamo being subjected to routinely searches. -
Homeland Security Act
The Homeland Security Act (HSA) was passed in 2002. The HSA sets up organizations and agensies that would help the government protect from terrorism. -
U.S sends troops to Iraq
George W. Bush decides to send troops to Iraq because he thought there were more members of Al Qaeda planning to plot terrorist attacks. This ended up being completely false. -
Afghanistan drafts a new constitution
Afghanistan formed a new constitution hoping to turn years and years of occupation by the Soviet Union and rule by the Taliban into a democracy. -
Karzai wins an election
Hamid Karzai elected as the first head of Afghanitan to want a democracy. -
Newly elected president of the U.S.
Barack Obama is elected in 2009 as the president of the U.S. sent 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan and started withdrawing troops from Iraq -
Karzai wins his second term
President of Afghanistan is automatically re-elected for a second term because his opponent Abdullah Abdullah refused to run. -
Goals to withdraw troops from Afghanistan
President Barack Obama hopes to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by 2011, but sends 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. At the time the total amount of troops in Afghanistan was 100,000. -
Osama bin Laden is killed
Osama bin Laden, head of the terrorist group Al Qaeda and planner of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, was killed by U.S. forces. To the left is a photo of bin Laden. -
U.S Withdraws from Iraq
After 9 years of military operation in Iraq the U.S. finally withdrew all troops. The long military involvement in Iraq costed the U.S. over 4,000 soldiers lives and over $1 trillion. -
Meanwhile in Afghanistan
Although Obama had a goal to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by 2011, he did not met that goal. There are still troops stll in Afghanistan, but luckily many troops were brought bac home.
