2001 – Attack on the United States


September 11

At approximately 8:46 a.m. on a clear Tuesday morning, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The impact left a gaping, burning hole near the 80th floor of the 110-story skyscraper, instantly killing hundreds of people and trapping hundreds more in higher floors. As the evacuation of the tower and its twin got underway, television cameras broadcasted live images of what initially appeared to be a freak accident. Then, 17 minutes after the first plane hit, a second Boeing 767—United Airlines Flight 175—appeared out of the sky, turned sharply toward the World Trade Center, and sliced into the south tower at about the 60th floor. The collision caused a massive explosion that showered burning debris over surrounding buildings and the streets below. America was under attack.

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READ MORE: After 9/11: 5 Cultural Moments That Helped Americans Move Forward

Citation Information

Article Title

Attack on the United States

AuthorHistory.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/attack-on-america

Access Date

September 10, 2022

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

September 27, 2021

Original Published Date

November 24, 2009

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