 On September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked by terrorists connected
with the radical Islamist group, Al Qaeda. Four commercial airliners were hijacked, to be
used as missiles in the destruction of American monuments and American lives. Both towers
of the World Trade Center in New York were destroyed, and the Pentagon in Washington, DC,
was severely damaged. Almost three thousand lives were lost, the greatest single-day loss
of American lives on American soil since the Civil War and the greatest single-day loss to
violence of American civilian lives in history.
Some refer to these horrible events as a tragedy or a disaster. But both these terms carry
connotations of unavoidable natural calamities such as hurricanes or earthquakes: that is,
these terms connote events with no human cause. When disaster strikes, we can do naught
but mourn. The events of September 11, however, were the result of deliberate human
action. The more appropriate terms for speaking about these events are crime, mass murder,
or acts of war. Thus, while we mourn the loss of lives on that day, another response is
also justified: a desire for justice.
What are the Causes and Origins of Terrorism?
What is Old and What is New in the Terrorism of Islamic Fundamentalism?
Children and Terrorism
In Times of Terror, Teens Talk the Talk
What America Can Expect in a War Against Terrorists
Essay on Terrorism
Terrorism: Q & A
Teaching About Terrorism One Year after
LESSON PLAN: Reign of Terror? Learning About Acts of Terrorism Around
the World in Modern History
The Realm of Unreality
The Realm of Unreality
I. Talk and write about your feelings surrounding the events of the
September 11 in New York and Washington.
1. How did you respond to the news? How did the images of this tragedy
affect you? What emotions have you experienced? Do you feel safe? If not, what do you
think the adults you know and U.S. leaders should do to promote a feeling of safety?
2. What are some of the theories associated with the plane crashes in
New York and Washington? Do these attacks resemble any other recent terrorist attacks?
Explain. What is terrorism? Why do you think these targets were singled out?
3. Describe President Bush’s reaction to the attack. How would you
describe his tone and demeanor? What steps is he taking to address the situation?
4. Addressing the nation in a time of tragedy is something that many
presidents have had to do. What do you think goes through the chief executive’s mind as
he prepares to comfort the citizens of his country and assert a sense of control? Have
each student choose any one leader and write a journal entry that he/she may have written
on the event of a national tragedy. Have students share their entries and discuss the
factors that shaped their perception of that leader’s handling of the crisis.
5. Journalistic problem: how to objectively recount events when the
natural human impulse is to register total outrage and disbelief?
II. Use the vocabulary suggested in your own stories.
terrible incident
outrageous and vicious act
inhuman act
barbarous terrorist acts
monstrous attacks
most horrifying attacks ever
most audacious terrorist attack
well-orchestrated attacks
nightmare scenario
deadly series of blows
plane slammed into
devastating hit
planes blasted fiery, gaping holes
jet dove into the building
horrendous number of lives lost
unknown number of fatalities
city under siege
pandemonium
day of horror
III. Analyze the language used in describing the September 11 events
in N.Y. and Washington.
1. Which adjectives describe the terrorists? the damage done? the
feelings of the victims? other?
2. Which are the strongest verbs? What do the adjectives add?
3. What is the emotional impact of these phrases/words?
IV. Use the following groups of words as a vocabulary study exercise,
and apply them to the events of September 11, 2001:
1. catastrophe, disaster, tragedy
2. terrorism, war, infamy
3. retribution, revenge, retaliation, response
4. xenophobia, racism, stereotype
5. fanaticism, dogma, patriotism
6. assertion, speculation, assumption, insinuation, distortion, hearsay, propaganda, fact.
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