9/11 and the War on Terror Goal 12

Election of 2000 The Election of 2000 was between George W. Bush (republican) and Al Gore (democrat). The election was one of the closest in history, so close that Al Gore asked for recount. Bush v Gore- the Supreme Court ruled that the recounting of votes had to stop, which made Bush president.

September 11, 2001 In the morning on September 11, 2001, four commercial airplanes were hijacked. They were hijacked by terrorists from the organization called al Quaeda, which was headed by ____________________.

The Pentagon The planes, in the hands of the terrorists, became missiles. One was intentionally crashed into the Pentagon, an enormous government building.

World Trade Center Two of the planes were crashed into the World Trade Center, two of the tallest buildings in New York City. Both buildings soon Collapsed.

United Flight 93 The fourth plane, likely headed for either the White House or the Capital Building, crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Most people believe that the passengers on board began fighting the terrorists, leading to the crash, and they are today considered to be heroes.

America Responds Though shocked by the attacks, America saw a surge of patriotism and unity among its people. Millions of people bought flags and proudly displayed them, and over $1 billion was donated to victims.

Bush Takes Action Department of Homeland Security- formed in 2002, this executive department was created to prevent terrorism. PATRIOT Act- this controversial law was passed by Congress a month after

The Patriot Act It allowed for secret searches of suspected terrorists and did not require a warrant. It made it easier for authorities to wire tap phones and track . Why would the Patriot Act be controversial?

Al-Qaeda and the Taliban Since 1996, Afghanistan had been ruled by a fundamentalist Muslim group known as the Taliban. When this group took power, Osama Bin Laden and his organization, Al Qaeda began operating there.

War in Afghanistan Less than a month after 9-11, the U.S. began bombing al Qaeda camps and the Taliban military forces in Afghanistan. Within a few months, the Taliban government had collapsed.

War in Afghanistan Today, fighting still goes on, as terrorists have started using guerilla attacks and suicide bombing. Osama bin Laden was killed on May 1, 2011.

The Axis of Evil President Bush named three countries as part of an “Axis of Evil”: Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. He was worried that Saddam Hussein, who was the dictator of Iraq, might create Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) and give them to terrorists.

Bush ’ s Ultimatum Bush demanded that Hussein allow United Nations inspectors into the country to check for WMDs, that he must stop supporting terrorists, and that he must stop oppressing his people.

U.S. Prepares Invasion Even though there was little evidence that Iraq had WMDs, and even though the United Nations would not back an invasion of the country, the U.S. moved to begin war.

War in Iraq The invasion of Iraq began in March of Soon, Bush announced that major military operations were over. Hussein was captured and executed.

The Iraq War Today However, fighting has continued as American forces attempt to stabilize the country and make it a democracy. Even though the United States freed Iraq from Hussein’s dictatorship, the country was on the brink of civil war, with American troops trying to keep order.

Guantanamo Bay As American forces have captured suspected terrorists, many of them have been transported to the military base, Guantanomo Bay, to be interrogated.

Do Suspected Terrorists Have Rights? Many people feel that these suspects are entitled to civil rights, such as the right to a trial, a right to a lawyer, and protection from torture. The government has denied many of these rights, arguing that a terrorist gives up the rights of citizens.

No Child Left Behind No Child Left Behind(NCLB) – federal program created by Bush that enforces standardized testing in schools. Many people feel that this hurts education.

Hurricane Katrina In 2004, Bush was re- elected. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the city of New Orleans, Flooding the city. The government was slow to respond, and Bush’s popularity dropped.

Election of 2008 The Election of 2008 was between John McCain (republican) and Barrack Obama (democrat). Obama won, becoming the first mixed race candidate to become president.

Looking to the Future Obama pledged to end the War in Iraq. He also worked to get a law passed in Congress that creates universal helathcare.