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September 11 Attacks
History >> US History 1900 to Present

Go here to watch avideo about the September 11 Attacks.

The Twin Towers During the Attack
Source: National Park Service

On September 11, 2001 the United States was attacked by an Islamic terrorist group called al-Qaeda. They hijacked four passenger planes and used them as weapons to crash into buildings. Two of the planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City while another plane hit the Pentagon. The fourth plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after the passengers attempted to retake control of the plane.

The Attacks

It was early in the morning on September 11 when the hijackers took control of the four airplanes. At the time, no one dreamed of their intentions. Here is what happened to each flight in the order that they crashed:

8:46 AM: American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.

9:03 AM: United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston crashed into the South Tower at 9:03 AM.

9:37 AM: American Airlines Flight 77 from Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C. crashes into the Pentagon.

10:03 AM: United Airlines Flight 93 from Newark, New Jersey crashes into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when the passengers attempt to take control. Authorities believe the terrorists' target was the White House or the U.S. Capitol Building.

When the first plane hit the North Tower, many people thought it was some sort of horrible accident. When the second plane hit, we knew we were under attack.

The Twin Towers Collapse

The airplane fuel on board the passenger planes caused an intense fire and extreme heat in the Twin Towers. Eventually, the structural integrity of both buildings gave way and the towers collapsed. The South Tower collapsed first followed by the North Tower around a 1/2 hour later. Several other buildings and skyscrapers around the Twin Towers collapsed as well.

How many people died?

The death toll from the attacks was devastating. All 246 passengers and crew on the four airplanes died along with 2,606 people at the World Trade Center and 125 at the Pentagon. In total, 2,996 people were killed during the attacks, including 2977 victims and 19 terrorists.

September 11 National Memorial
Photo by Ducksters

9/11 Heroes

There are many stories of heroes on the ground and in the air during the attacks. The firefighters and police of New York City worked diligently to save thousands of people before the buildings collapsed. Many of them gave their lives including 343 firefighters, 72 police, and 55 military personnel. The passengers aboard Flight 93 also fought back to gain control of the plane. They knew they were probably going to die, but they didn't let the plane crash into a building where more would die. We will never know just how many lives their bravery saved.

Who were the attackers?

There were 19 terrorists involved in the hijackings. They were members of the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda led by Osama bin Laden.

Aftermath

The effects from the attacks were felt for many years. The U.S. economy struggled as the stock market crashed. Things were even worse in New York City which had to deal with the dust, debris, and destruction of so many buildings. Many had to deal with the death of friends and loved-ones and the loss of jobs and businesses.

The United States government, led byPresident George W. Bush, retaliated with a "War on Terror." The U.S. attacked the Taliban in Afghanistan and searched out leaders and members of al-Qaeda. Osama bin Laden was able to hide out in mountain caves for many years before he was finally hunted down and killed in 2011.

One World Trade Center Building
Photo by Ducksters

Memorials

There are memorials to the victims at each of the three locations of the attacks. There is the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon Memorial in Virginia, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.

Interesting Facts About the September 11 Attacks

The Department of Homeland Security was formed and the Patriot Act passed after the attacks in order to help fight terrorism.

Around 50,000 people had jobs in the Twin Towers before the attacks.

All four flights were headed across the country to California. This was part of the terrorists' plans so that the planes would be filled with fuel for a long flight.

The passengers aboard the planes used cell phones to relay details of the hijackers.

President Bush said after the attacks that "We will not waver; we will not falter, and we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail."

Activities

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Works Cited

History >> US History 1900 to Present

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Kids learn about the September 11 terrorist attacks including the collapse of the Twin Towers, the crash into the Pentagon, Flight 93, the aftermath, facts, and heroes, and memorials. Educational article for students, schools, and teachers.

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Hear the immigration stories of real immigrant kids who have recently immigrated to the United States from Asia, Africa, and Europe. See videos, maps, and photos.

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Ellis Island History Facts for kids: Fast Fact Sheet
Fast, fun facts about Ellis Island immigration center:
Location: New Jersey side of Upper New York Bay, U.S.
When did it open? January 1, 1892
When did it close? 12 November, 1954
Who was the first immigrant to be processed? Annie Moore
How did it get its name? From a previous owner, Samuel Ellis
How big is it? 27.5 acres
How many immigrants were processed? 15 Million
Ellis Island History Facts for kids
Interesting facts about the Ellis Island History Facts are detailed below. The history of the Ellis Island History Facts is told in a factual sequence consisting of a series of short facts providing a simple method of relating the history and events of the Ellis Island History Facts. For additional information refer to the Ellis Island Immigration Process.

Ellis Island History Facts for kids

In 1834 the small isle (that served as a weapons arsenal) and the neighboring Bedloe's Island (renamed Liberty Island in 1956, site of the Ellis Island History Facts Fact 5: Statue of Liberty) were declared part of New York State

Ellis Island History Facts Fact 9: In the 1880's immigration to the United States during the 1880s reached a staggering 5.2 million. In 1882 Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act , the first significant law to restrict immigration to the United States of America. In 1890 the States turned over control of immigration to the Federal Government.

The Statue of Liberty became the iconic landmark for all European immigrants on the last leg of their journey from Europe to Ellis Island and a new life in the United States of America.

Continued...

Ellis Island History Facts for kids

Ellis Island History Facts for kids: US Immigration Laws The article on US Immigration Laws History provides facts, immigration statistics and a timeline from 1800's to the present.

Ellis Island History Facts for kids
Interesting facts about the Ellis Island History Facts are continued below.

Ellis Island History Facts for kids

Annie Moore, a 15 year old girl from County Cork in Ireland was the first to enter the first wooden immigration building on January 2, 1892. She was presented with a $10 gold piece to commemorate her role in U.S. history.

Ellis Island History Facts Fact 19: Immigration Process: Immigrants were subjected to medical and legal examinations during the Immigration Process. In 1910 the Angel Island Immigration Station opened.

On July 30, 1916 New York harbor was rocked by the Ellis Island History Facts Fact 20: Black Tom Explosion (caused by saboteurs during WW1) and immigrants at the Ellis Island immigration center had to be evacuated to lower Manhattan.

The photograph of the Statue of Liberty was taken in 1917.

Ellis Island History Facts for kids

Ellis Island History Facts for kids: Immigration Acts
Congress passed the Immigration Act of 1882 which was the first comprehensive immigration law to restrict immigrants from Europe. This was followed by the Immigration Act of 1891 which regulated immigration even further.

Push and Pull Factors
For visitors interested in the subject of immigration refer to our website on Push and Pull Factors of Immigration which provides details of why people left their homes in various countries and moved to the United States.

Ellis Island History Facts for kids - President Benjamin Harrison Video
The article on the Ellis Island History provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following Benjamin Harrison video will give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 23rd American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1889 to March 4, 1893.

Ellis Island History Facts

● Interesting info with the Ellis Island History Facts for kids and schools
● Summary of the Ellis Island History in US history
● The Ellis Island History Facts, a major event in US history
● Benjamin Harrison Presidency from March 4, 1889 to March 4, 1893
● Fast, fun, interesting facts about the Ellis Island History Facts
● Foreign & Domestic policies of President Benjamin Harrison
● Benjamin Harrison Presidency and Ellis Island History Facts for schools, homework, kids and children

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Ellis Island History Facts for kids: Fast Fact Sheet Fast, fun facts about Ellis Island immigration center: Location: New Jersey side of Upper New York Bay, U.S. When did it open? January 1, 1892 When did it close? 12 November, 1954 Who was the first immigrant to be processed?

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World War II in Europe During World War II, Germany overran much of Europe using a new tactic called the "Blitzkrieg" (lightning war). Blitzkrieg involved the massing of planes, tanks, and artillery. These forces would break through enemy defenses along a narrow front. Air power prevented the enemy from closing the breach. German forces encircled opposing troops, forcing them to surrender.

Using the Blitzkrieg tactic, Germany defeated Poland (attacked in September 1939), Denmark (April 1940), Norway (April 1940), Belgium (May 1940), the Netherlands (May 1940), Luxembourg (May 1940), France (May 1940), Yugoslavia (April 1941), and Greece (April 1941). Yet Germany did not defeat Great Britain, which was protected from ground attack by the English Channel.

German forces attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941, pushing more than 600 miles to the gates of Moscow. A second German offensive in 1942 brought German soldiers to the shores of the Volga River and the city of Stalingrad. But the Soviet Union, together with Great Britain and the United States, which had entered the war against Germany in December 1941, turned the tide of battle against Germany.

In the east, the battle for Stalingrad proved a decisive turning point. After the defeat at Stalingrad in winter of 1942-43, German troops began the long retreat. In April 1945 Soviet forces entered Berlin. In the west, Allied soldiers landed on June 6, 1944 (known as D-Day) in Normandy, France. More than two million Allied soldiers poured into France. In July, Allied forces broke out of the Normandy beachhead. The Allies continued the attack into Germany. In March 1945, Allied forces crossed the Rhine, advancing into the heart of Germany.

Nazi Germany surrendered in May 1945.

Key Dates

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World War II in Europe During World War II, Germany overran much of Europe using a new tactic called the "Blitzkrieg" (lightning war). Blitzkrieg involved the massing of planes, tanks, and artillery. These forces would break through enemy defenses along a narrow front. Air power prevented the enemy from closing the breach.

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In September 1939, Britain entered into what would become the world's most devastating war to date. Learn all about the events that changed the lives of millions in our World War 2 facts....
World War 2 facts

1. World War 2 was a battle between two groups of countries

- the " Allies" and the " Axis ". The major Allied Powers were Britain, France, Russia, China and the United States. The major Axis Powers were Germany, Italy and Japan.

(AD)

2. Before World War 2 began, Germany was ruled by a man named Adolf Hitler

Together with the Nazi Party, he wanted Germany to rule Europe. To gain more land and power, on 1 September 1939 German troops invaded Poland. After Hitler refused to stop the invasion, Britain and France declared war on Germany - World War II had begun.

3. During the course of the war, German forces advanced through Europe.

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable Second World War primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

4. Millions of Germans were imprisoned and killed because they didn't fit the image of the 'perfect' German

Hitler wanted to create what he thought was the "best" and strongest race - and to the Nazi Party, this excluded certain groups, such as Jews, Gypsies and those with physical and mental disabilities. In an attempt to eliminate a "racial enemy" outside of Germany, such groups were also persecuted in the countries invaded by German forces.

5. The group most heavily targeted by the Nazis were the Jews

Around six million Jewish people were killed during World War 2 in one of history's most terrible events - the Holocaust. Racist in his views, Hitler blamed Jewish people for Germany losing World War I and claimed they were dangerous to German people and society.

6. Around the same time that Germany fought for power in Europe, Japan wanted to control Asia and the Pacific

In 1937 (before World War 2 had officially begun) under Emperor Hirohito, Japan attacked China, bringing the two nations into years of conflict.

7. The US didn't join the war until 1941, when Japan attacked the United States

- at their Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. On 8 December 1941 (the very next day), the US declared War on Japan and, in turn, its German allies.

8. Some countries remained 'neutral' in World War 2

Such countries were Spain, Sweden and Switzerland - who chose not to join either side.

9. The Germans surrendered on 8 May 1945

In 1944, an Allied army crossed from Britain to free France from Nazi rule. One year later, Allied armies invaded Germany, forcing the Germans to surrender. After nuclear attacks on Japan's major cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan also surrendered to Allied forces in August the same year. World War 2 had ended.

10. Around 64 million people died in World War 2

- that's more than the entire population of the United Kingdom.

Find out more about the countries involved in World War 2 with our Germany, Japan and USA facts. Plus, learn about the life of Anne Frank, a young German girl who wrote a world-famous diary...

*Yugoslavia was a country established in 1918 in south-east Europe, which included modern-day Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

*USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or the Soviet Union) was a former country which included modern-day Russia, Ukraine and Estonia, as well as other socialist states.

What did you think of our World War 2 facts? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Learn astonishing World War 2 facts with Nat Geo Kids. When did the war start? Who fought in in the war and why? How did it change the course of history?

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The civil rights movement in photos | CNN

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History >> Civil Rights for Kids

African-American Civil Rights Movement

March on Washington Aug 28, 1963
from the United States Information Agency

The African-American Civil Rights Movement was an ongoing fight for racial equality that took place for over 100 years after the Civil War. Leaders such asMartin Luther King, Jr., Booker T. Washington, and Rosa Parks paved the way for non-violent protests which led to changes in the law. When most people talk about the "Civil Rights Movement" they are talking about the protests in the 1950s and 1960s that led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Background

The Civil Rights Movement has its background in the abolitionist movement before theCivil War. Abolitionists were people that thought slavery was morally wrong and wanted it to come to an end. Before the Civil War, many of the northern states had outlawed slavery. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln freed the enslaved with the Emancipation Proclamation. After the war, slavery was made illegal with the thirteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Segregation and the Jim Crow Laws

Jim Crow Drinking Fountain
by John Vachon

After the Civil War, many southern states continued to treat African-Americans as second class citizens. They implemented laws that kept black people separate from white people. These laws became known as Jim Crow laws. They required separate schools, restaurants, restrooms, and transportation based on the color of a person's skin. Other laws prevented many black people from voting.

Early Protests

In the early 1900s, black people began to protest the Jim Crow laws that southern states were implementing to enforce segregation. Several African-American leaders such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Ida B. Wells joined together to found the NAACP in 1909. Another leader, Booker T. Washington, helped to form schools to educate African-Americans in order to improve their status in society.

The Movement Grows

The civil rights movement gained momentum in the 1950s when theSupreme Court ruled that segregation in schools was illegal in the case of Brown v. Board of Education. Federal troops were brought in to Little Rock, Arkansas to allow the Little Rock Nine to attend a previously all white high school.

Major Events in the Movement

The 1950's and early 1960's brought about several major events in the fight for the civil rights of African-Americans. In 1955, Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving up her seat on the bus to a white passenger. This sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott which lasted for over a year and brought Martin Luther King, Jr. to the forefront of the movement. King led a number of non-violent protests including the Birmingham Campaign and the March on Washington.

Lyndon Johnson signing Civil Rights Act
by Cecil Stoughton

Civil Rights Act of 1964

In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was signed into law byPresident Lyndon Johnson. This act outlawed segregation and the Jim Crow laws of the south. It also outlawed discrimination based on race, national background, and gender. Although there were still many issues, this law gave the NAACP and other organizations a strong base on which to fight discrimination in the courts.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

In 1965, another law was passed called the Voting Rights Act. This law said that citizens could not be denied the right to vote based on their race. It outlawed literacy tests (a requirement that people be able to read) and poll taxes (a fee that people had to pay to vote).

Interesting Facts about the African-American Civil Rights Movement

The Civil Rights Act was originally proposed by President John F. Kennedy.

The 1968 Civil Rights Act, also known as the Fair Housing Act, outlawed discrimination in the selling or renting of housing.

The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee was once the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot and killed in 1968.

Today, African-Americans have been elected or appointed to the highest positions in the U.S. government including Secretary of State (Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice) and President (Barack Obama).

Activities

Take a ten question quiz about this page.

Listen to a recorded reading of this page:

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To learn more about Civil Rights:

Civil Rights Leaders

Overview Works Cited

History >> Civil Rights for Kids

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Kids learn about the history of the African-American Civil Rights Movement including segregation, Jim Crow laws, protests, Martin Luther King, and the passage of the Civil Rights Act.

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The Dust Bowl | Ken Burns | PBS | Watch The Dust Bowl | Ken Burns | PBS

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The Dust Bowl chronicles the environmental catastrophe that, throughout the 1930s, destroyed the farmlands of the Great Plains, turned prairies into deserts, and unleashed a pattern of massive, deadly dust storms that for many seemed to herald the end of the world. Full film now streaming.

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: Results of a Dust Storm in Oklahoma Dust Bowl

Dust Bowl Facts: Fast Fact Sheet
Fast, fun facts and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) about the Dust Bowl.

What was the Dust Bowl? The Dust Bowl is a term that describes the massive area of farming land in the prairie states of America that literally turned to dust.

What date did the Dust Bowl start and when did it end? The Dust Bowl began with drought of 1930 and lasted a decade throughout the 1930s until the last drought of 1940.

What caused the Dust Bowl? The Dust Bowl was caused by a series of droughts, poor farming practices and over-farming.

What was the destination of most Dust Bowl migrants? The destination of most Dust Bowl migrants was California.

Dust Bowl Facts for kids
The devastation caused by the Dust Bowl is reflected in the 1934 "Yearbook of Agriculture", produced by the US Department of Agriculture. The 1934 "Yearbook of Agriculture" reviewed developments in agriculture over the previous year and stated that:

● Approximately 35 million acres of formerly cultivated land have essentially been destroyed for crop production
● 100 million acres now in crops have lost all, or most, of the topsoil
● 125 million acres of land now in crops are rapidly losing topsoil

Dust Bowl Facts for kids The following fact sheet contains interesting facts and information on Dust Bowl.

Facts about the Dust Bowl for kids

● 300 million tons of topsoil from the prairie states
● Millions of aces of crops were lost and irreparable damage to the land
● There were epic plagues of spiders, crickets, centipedes and grasshoppers
● Cattle, sheep, roosters and wildlife died from suffocation

Year - Number of Dust Storms

1932 - 14
1933 - 38
1934 - 22
1935 - 40
1936 - 68
1937 - 72
1938 - 61
1939 - 30
1940 - 17

Facts about Black Blizzards

● The table indicates severe storms, the vicious Black Blizzards, that impacted large regions
● Millions of tons of dirt were swept from the dry, barren fields and swirled up into the air
● Stinging, stinking dust was carried by up to 60mph winds of the black blizzards
● The black blizzards were terrifying events and sometimes the visibility levels were zero
● Total blackouts were recorded as lasting as long as 11 hours
● Single black blizzard storms could rage for up to 3½ days
● Towering black pillar of clouds reached over 1000 feet tall

The Great Depression: The Dust Bowl phenomenon coincided with the economic disaster referred to as the Dust Bowl Fact 16: Great Depression during which time in 1 in 4 Americans were made unemployed, which resulted in high poverty levels - for additional facts refer to Poverty in the Great Depression. People were destitute and frightened by the events that were sweeping the nation and this made it extremely difficult for Dust Bowl migrants to start a new life in places like California.

Continued...

Facts about the Dust Bowl for kids

Facts about the Dust Bowl for kids The following fact sheet continues with facts about Dust Bowl.

Facts about the Dust Bowl for kids

The effects were profound, with serious social and environmental consequences. Some of the social consequences of the Dust Bowl can be found in Dust Bowl Fact 19: Dust Bowl Life. The Social effects of the Dust Bowl included:

● 3 million farmers were adversely effected due to unemployment
● In 1930 - 1934 creditors foreclosed on nearly 1 million farms. Families were evicted and made homeless
● The Dust Bowl coincided with the Great Depression. People were deprived of adequate clothing, food and nutrition
● The forced migration of over 200,000 farmers desperately seeking a new life
● The lives of children were severely effected and their education suffered
● The dust caused many health problems including dust pneumonia
● Farm equipment was buried in the dust and partially covered houses within dust dunes
● Migrants, forced to move away from their homes, suffered from inadequate shelter, inadequate sanitation facilities and safe drinking water
● Many migrants met with hostility when they reached their destinations

The photograph is of a 'Migrant Mother' whose name was Florence Owens Thompson (September 1, 1903 - September 16, 1983) and was taken in Nipomo, California. Florence Owens Thompson was aged 32 years old when the photo was taken.

A destitute mother of seven children. She had just sold her car tires to buy food for her family. Florence is pictured nursing her daughter Norma. Her daughters, Katherine and Ruby, hid behind their mother as Dorothea Lange took the shot. She migrated to Shafter in California, north of Bakersfield. The at Shafter FSA Camp is mentioned in our article on Life in the Dust Bowl.

Dust Bowl Fact 24: Republican President Herbert Hoover was slow to react to the Great Depression advocating the idea that every man should fend for himself and that government handouts to the unemployed did great damage to a persons self-esteem. There was no social 'safety net' of welfare or relief programs at the start of the Great Depression. Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt assumed the presidency in March 1933 and began to implement various relief programs in his 'New Deal', some of which were aimed at relieving the impact of the Dust Bowl.

Facts about the Dust Bowl for kids

Facts about Dust Bowl in the Great Depression
For visitors interested in the history of the Great Depression refer to the following articles:

Dust Bowl for kids - President Herbert Hoover Video
The article on the Dust Bowl provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following Herbert Hoover video will give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 31st American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1929 to March 4, 1933.

Dust Bowl

● Interesting Facts about Dust Bowl for kids and schools Summary of the Dust Bowl in US history The Dust Bowl, a major event in US history Herbert Hoover from March 4, 1929 to March 4, 1933 Fast, fun facts about the Dust Bowl Dust Bowl
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● ● Causes and effects of the
● The causes and effects of the 1930s Dust Bowl for schools, homework, kids and children

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30 Dust Bowl Facts: US History for Kids ***

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Find a summary, definition and facts about the Dust Bowl for kids. The causes and effects of Dust Bowl and the relief measures introduced in the period. Information about the Dust Bowl for kids, children, homework and schools.