On September 11, 2001, members of al-Qaeda, an Islamic extremist group, hijacked four airplanes and steered them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C. Another plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

This terrorist attack, sometimes called 9/11, killed more than 3000 civilians, police officers, and firefighters. This event was one of the deadliest attacks on American soil in history. The exact reasons for the attack have not been uncovered, but it has been alleged that the terrorists were acting out of retaliation for the United States’ involvement in issues concerning countries in the Middle East. The terrorists, all of Middle Eastern descent, were allegedly supported by the founder of al-Qaeda, Osama Bin-Laden.

U.S. President George W. Bush responded to the acts by promising to retaliate against those who were responsible for the attacks. These attacks would go on to define his presidency because Americans were dependent on his administration to protect the country from further terrorist attacks.

Watch the video of his address to the public on the day of the attacks.

Turning Point: The United States retaliated for the 9/11 attacks by going to war against the Taliban government of Afghanistan, which was suspected of harboring bin Laden. The United States embarked upon a campaign against bin Laden’s terrorist sect, Al-Qaeda; the campaign was called Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). The United States initiated a series of counter-terrorism policies and practices aimed at protecting the United States from further attacks.

In 2008, Barack Obama, a U.S. Senator from Illinois, was elected the 44th president of the United States and the first African American to be elected. There were many historical aspects to Obama’s election. Not only was he elected the first black president, but also the election produced a record number of voters, many of whom were young, first-time voters. The Obama campaign was historic in its grassroots efforts; the campaign used social media to connect with potential voters in a way that was unprecedented.

The map below provides a look at the results of the election of 2008. Click on the link and explore the information in the interactive map.

President Map

The 2008 election of Barack Obama as president is most historical from the aspect that the United States has had a history of racial inequality. The idea of an African American becoming president was more than far-fetched before 2008. The election illustrated that opportunities such as this are possible for all Americans.

Obama Makes History

Turning Point: President Barack Obama was elected the first African-American president of the United States in 2008, defying centuries of racial inequality in America.