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Kristen Allen

Ms. Reid-Cossentino

Honors U.S History pd.3

25 April 2020

9/11 Research Paper

September 11, 2001, is a day that would leave an everlasting footprint in United States

history. On this day, 2,996 people died in, and around, the World Trade Center in New York

City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and on a commercial airplane that crashed in

Shanksville, Pennsylvania (Villemez). This event affected millions of people and has continued

to have an everlasting impact on America today. The Trade Center was attacked before 9/11, in

1993, but Americans didn’t process this could be the start of something until it happened again,

less than 10 years later. In response to this tragedy, President George W. Bush signed the USA

Patriot Act, ramping up domestic and border security, and expanding surveillance efforts in the

name of national security (Villemez). The attacks of 9/11 impacted the U.S causing increased

airport security, heightened emotions, and different daily life schedules.

One of the biggest impacts that 9/11 had on the U.S. was increased airport security. This

is because of the rising constant fear in everyone. Before the attacks, airport security was very

minimal and not looked at as something to be worried about. It was so easy that people didn’t

even have to take off their shoes to go through security.​ ​Along with that, only about 5% of bags

used to be checked when going through, but now 100% of bags are checked at every airport. The

regulation of such luggage is largely done by the TSA. Following the terroristic 9/11 attacks​ the

law creating the Transportation Security Administration was quickly passed (Within two
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months). This resulted in airlines and airports rushing to make urgent fixes. This included the

hardening of cockpit doors with bulletproof material, updating no-fly lists, and closing other

gaps. (Peterson) They also came up with a way to keep from the plane being hijacked by putting

cabin doors on planes to protect the pilots. Also, the screening process has increased in

inspection and size. ​Since these attacks, national security and defense have also been prioritized

and there has been increased government oversight. This includes phone and web surveillance, to

possibly track down any attackers before the situation gets out of hand. Air travel has been

reduced significantly. An article stated that “One out of six americans said they reduced air travel

after 9/11” (Villemez). This shows that after the attacks of that day, many were afraid to fly even

after all the increased security. Lastly, only 11 days after that day, the Department of Homeland

Security was created. The DHS is an office put together by a number of appointed officials that

oversee national strategy and national security. It was created to protect the country against

another wide-scale terrorist attack. (Utice) To this day, the DHS still helps protect our country

and provides comfort to those scarred from that day.

Another big impact of 9/11 across the country, was seen in the heightened emotions of

everyone. These emotions included sadness, worry, and confusion. The days following the

attacks were difficult for all. So many people had lost loved ones or had loved ones in the

hospital fighting for their lives. The nation began to mourn, and across the country Americans

began to remember and honor the victims and demonstrate their patriotism. They did this in

many ways, the most popular way being, hanging the American flag from their porches and car

antennas. A few days after the attacks, people started attending candlelight vigils and

participated in moments of silence. They also gathered in common places like ​Chicago’s Daley
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Plaza, Honolulu’s Waikiki Beach, and especially New York City’s Union Square Park, to post

tributes to the dead and to share their grief with others (History.com). A young man in Union

Square told a reporter from the ​New York Times​, “I don’t know why I’ve been coming here,

except that I’m confused” (History.com) Many felt this confusion and sadness after the attacks,

which stayed with them for so long. The 9/11 memorial and museum made, helped many cope

with this grief. It gave them a place to go to honor those who died and became a place of healing,

renewal, and hope.

The last big impact that 9/11 had on the country was seen in daily life schedules and how

much they changed. The days following the attacks took a toll on everyone, including those

affected by it, and not. Respect was shown in many ways including, postponing any type of

sports events and games. Celebrities also organized benefit concerts and performances to help

raise awareness of this tragedy and to help those who became in need of everyday necessities.

9/11 also affected the stock market in many ways. The first week of trading after the attacks had

a 14% fall, which marked a record one-day drop at the time. At the time, gold and oil rallied

(Davis). Now, oil prices have nearly tripled. Another impact seen following these horrific events

was shown in how communities across the country came together to show resilience in the face

of this adversity. ​The Armed forces reported an increase in enlistment following the attacks as

well as other organizations that also saw an increase in volunteers. People waited, sometimes

needlessly, in line to donate blood to help those in need. Though some have argued this

patriotism has given rise to a dangerous nationalism, others see the seeming increase of

patriotism as a good thing and something that spans all ages and races. (Udice) This ultimately

brought citizens of all types together, as Americans. Another huge change in daily life was the
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way news was brought about. Before the attacks many stations were deciding to limit the amount

of international news and reports, although after, these stations and many others decided to give

more time to news from around the world. They also began to fear for children's eyes and how

they were taking all this in. In the hopes to help with this David Westin, who was at the time,

ABC News President ordere​d, “that the network not show the plane hitting the second tower too

many times as to not "disturb" viewers, especially children, something that was not

commonplace at the time” (Udice). Lastly, in the newspaper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, an

article from that day said, “A witness said he saw bodies falling from the twin towers and people

jumping out” (pg. 91). This could also scar many young kids who hear about this, as it is not a

normal and everyday thing they hear.

The attacks of 9/11 impacted the U.S by increasing airport security, evoking a sense of

sadness in America, and changing the daily life of Americans. ​The September 11th attacks have

affected people across the world in many ways. Many of those who lived during that time have

changed many aspects of their lives to cope with the devastating effects that happened on that

day. As many people may have moved on, that day will never be forgotten and those who died

will forever be remembered.

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Works Cited

Davis, M., 2020. ​How September 11 Affected The U.S. Stock Market​. [online] Investopedia.

Available at:

<https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0911/how-september-11-affected-the-u.s.-

stock-market.aspx> [Accessed 15 May 2020].

History.com. 2010. ​Reaction To 9/11.​ [online] Available at:

<https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/reaction-to-9-11> [Accessed 15 May

2020].

Lawrence, C., 2011. ​September 11Th: 7 Ways 9/11 Has Changed Your Life.​ [online]

ABC News. Available at:

<https://abcnews.go.com/US/september-11th-ways-911-changed-life/story?id=14

324226> [Accessed 14 May 2020].

Peterson, Barbara. "How Airport Security Has Changed since 9/11." ​Conde Nast

Traveler,​ 10 Sept. 2016,

www.cntraveler.com/story/how-airport-security-has-changed-since-september-11.

September 11, 2001​. Kansas City, Andrew McMeel Pub., 2002.

Udice, K., 2018. ​10 Ways The World Changed After The 9/11 Attacks.​ [online] Insider. Available

at: <https://www.insider.com/world-changed-after-september-11-2018-9> [Accessed 14

May 2020].

Villemez, Jason, editor. "9/11 to Now: Ways We Have Changed." ​PBS News Hour,​ 14

Sept. 2011, www.pbs.org/newshour/world/911-to-now-ways-we-have-changed.

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Bibliography

Davis, M., 2020. ​How September 11 Affected The U.S. Stock Market​. [online] Investopedia.

Available at:

<https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0911/how-september-11-affected-the-u.s.-

stock-market.aspx> [Accessed 15 May 2020].

(I used this source to gather information about the stock market after 9/11 and how prices

were affected.)

History.com. 2010. ​Reaction To 9/11​. [online] Available at:

<https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/reaction-to-9-11> [Accessed 15 May

2020].

(I used this source to understand how the world was feeling and coping with the effects of

9/11 and how they continued to support one another.)

Green, Matthew. "How 9/11 Changed America: Four Major Lasting Impacts (with Lesson

Plan)."

KQED​, 8 Sept. 2017,

www.kqed.org/lowdown/14066/13-years-later-four-major-lasting-impacts-of-911.

Accessed 11 Sept. 2019.

(I used this source to get information about the overall impacts of 9/11 to help frame my

thesis.)

Ivey, Matthew. "The Ethical Midfield in Artificial Intelligence: Practical

Reflections for National Security Lawyers." ​Georgetown Journal of Legal

Ethics,​ vol. 33, no. 1, 2020, p. 109+. ​Gale Academic OneFile,​

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link.gale.com/apps/doc/A613049856/AONE?u=pl7321r&sid=AONE&xid=34368236.

Accessed 2 Mar. 2020.

(I didn’t use this source because the information it had in it was more about the legestics

behind security lawyers than the changes in security which is what I was aiming to write

about.)

Lawrence, C., 2011. ​September 11Th: 7 Ways 9/11 Has Changed Your Life.​ [online]

ABC News. Available at:

<https://abcnews.go.com/US/september-11th-ways-911-changed-life/story?id=14

324226> [Accessed 14 May 2020].

(I used this source to learn more about the effect 9/11 had on citizens' daily lives and how

they changed because of it.)

Peterson, Barbara. "How Airport Security Has Changed since 9/11." ​Conde Nast

Traveler,​ 10 Sept. 2016,

www.cntraveler.com/story/how-airport-security-has-changed-since-september-11.

(I used this source to learn about the ways 9/11 changed airport security and how they

increased it.)

September 11, 2001.​ Kansas City, Andrew McMeel Pub., 2002.

(I used this source as my primary source and read different newspaper articles from that

day and what happened after the attacks.)

Udice, K., 2018. ​10 Ways The World Changed After The 9/11 Attacks.​ [online] Insider. Available

at: <https://www.insider.com/world-changed-after-september-11-2018-9> [Accessed 14

May 2020].
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(I used this source to learn more about the everyday changes in America including sports

and music and how they were affected.)

Villemez, Jason, editor. "9/11 to Now: Ways We Have Changed." ​PBS News Hour,​ 14

Sept. 2011, www.pbs.org/newshour/world/911-to-now-ways-we-have-changed.

(I used this source to learn more about how air travel was affected and how new laws and

rules were put into place.)