Essay On How 9/11 Changed America

September 11, 2001 was the day that changed the United States in many ways. On that

day, Islamic extremist carried out acts of terrorism when they hijacked four U.S. airplanes

headed for different destinations. Two of the hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers of

the World Trade Center in New York City and another was used in a similar attack on the

Pentagon in Washington, D.C. The passengers on the last plane fought back against the terrorists,

and the plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania before it could hit its intended target which

was White House. These attacks are the first ever directed toward U.S. civilian population.

One major change that was caused by the September 11th attacks was the introduction to

the

The Patriot Act expanded the Secretary of the Treasury’s authority to regulate

financial transactions and broadened the discretion of law enforcement and immigration

authorities in detaining and deporting anyone they thought to be a threat. Without this act,

enforcement and pursuit of terrorist acts may not have been as heightened.

The Sepetember 11th attacks also caused a frenzy with the financial markets as they took a

hit on this fateful day. The New York Stock Exchange closed immediately after the attack, and

nearly ¼ of their employees were victims of the attacks as their headquarters are housed near the

Twin Towers. Trading of the NASDAQ and trading of the United States bond market also

closed. As a result of the attacks, oil prices and gas prices increased. Travel and entertainment

stocks fell and online travel agencies were greatly affected because people were cautious about

traveling out of fear and not knowing what to expect.

In an effort to reassure U.S. citizens of their safety after the attacks, homeland spending

had to increase. “It merged 22 governmental agencies into one, including the Customs