September 11, 2001 is a day that is imprinted in the memories of most Americans. These people remember it as a day that significantly changed America for years to come. Before the events on that morning almost 14 years ago, the word "terrorism" was rarely used and other words like al-Qaida, Taliban, and ground zero entered everyday language. Along with just words, this day also had significant effects on other things like Immigration, Air Travel, and Government. Being the largest loss of life on American soil since the Civil War, this day represents one of the most important days in modern US history.
On the morning of the attacks, 19 al-Qaeda extremists hijacked four passenger jets. Two of these planes were destined for the North and South towers at the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. The third plane would hit the west side of the Pentagon at 9:45 am, and the fourth (which many believe was supposed to hit the White House or Capitol building) ended up crashing into a field in western Pennsylvania at 10:10. 20 minutes later both towers had disappeared from the New York skyline forever. Little did anyone know the lives of millions of Americans would change in a matter of a few hours. There have been many significant changes in the United States since the attacks on 9/11, many of which impact peoples' everyday lives. One of the most significant changes was on airport security and air travel. Soon after the attacks, President George W. Bush signed the Aviation and Transportation Security Act into law that fully went into action on December 31, 2002. This legislation greatly changed how airports screened bags and people alike. To go along with this, it effectively created the TSA, which differed greatly from the outsourced security hired by each individual airport. Some changes included only allowing passengers with tickets through security, removing shoes at security, and banning liquids ("The Impact of Post-9/11 Airport Security Measures on the Demand for Air Travel" 731).