Webster's defines terrorism as a systematic use of terror especially as coercion. There have been many acts of terrorism in the world over the years. The bombing of the U.S. embassy in the Middle East, the Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVay, and even the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1994. However, no terrorist attack has had the impact on America or even the world like the terrorist attack of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. The strategic plans of the terrorist were timed to precision. Although one of the hijacked planes was unable to reach its target, the attack on America was a deadly bloodbath. At 8:45a.m, the hijacked American Airlines flight 11 crashes into World Trade Center tower 1. This killed thousands of people. Then at 9:03a.m, a second hijacked American Airlines flight 175, crashed into the World Trade Center tower 2. This killed thousands of people who worked in the building, as well as the fire fighters and police officers that came to the scene of Tower 1. Then at 9:40a.m, hijacked American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the west side of the pentagon. At 9:45a.m, a 911-phone call is made from American Airlines flight 93, telling the police that the plane has been hijacked. The men on the plane fought off the terrorist but the plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The crash killed 45 people. These attacks took their toll on America and to this day still have Americans everywhere living in fear. The effects of the attack are changing the way the Americans look at the world. Many aspects of American life have changed since September 11, 2001. The political, social, and economic state of America will never be the same again.
The terrorist attack has hurt America greatly as far as the economy goes. The United States has been shelling out money in order to compensate for the loss of business and economic resources. The war on Afghanistan has cost the United States up to $400 million a month.