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the contradiction of our legacy as a melting pot that provides opportunities to people 5
who hail from far and wide but once denied citizenship to all but white people. Visionary
environmentalist Bill McKibben imagines the world in 2050 — and it’s not all bad news!
Every subject, every issue, every question that the texts in this chapter examine
echoes back through American history and culture: American ideals, identity, and George W. Bush
opportunity; racial equality; the immigrant experience; the role America’s military plays
in foreign affairs; the rights of women; our freedom of speech and religion; and our
relationship to the environment. These texts also give us ways to look to the future:
Where should we go from here? How should we get there? What Frederick Douglass
called a “standing offense” to nations for whom the fight is prohibited should — and
must — give us hope that we can forge a new but still relevant American Dream.

Parts of this sample chapter have been purposely omitted. Please see full Table of Contents for more information.

Address to the Nation on
September 11, 2001

George W. Bush

George W. Bush (b. 1946) served as the 43rd president of
the United States. He also served as governor of Texas. Gado Images/Alamy Stock Photo
Prior to that, he worked in the oil industry and co-owned the
Texas Rangers baseball team. His father, George H. W. Bush,
was the 41st president.

KEY CONTEXT On the morning of September 11, 2001, members of the terrorist group al-Qaeda hijacked
four airplanes departing from Boston, Massachusetts; Newark, New Jersey; and Dulles, Virginia. The
hijackers crashed two of the planes into the north and south towers of the World Trade Center in New York
City, resulting in the collapse of both towers. Terrorist crashed a third plane into the headquarters for the
United States Department of Defense, known as the Pentagon building. On the fourth plane, passengers and
crewmembers fought back, and crashed in Pennsylvania during the struggle. All told, nearly 3,000 people
were killed, including everyone aboard all four planes and over 400 first responders to the attacks, and over
6,000 people were injured. In this speech, given the same day of the attacks, President Bush responds to a
nation in crisis. He had entered office only eight months prior, the victor of an extremely close election.

ood evening. suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.
GToday, our fellow citizens, our way of The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings,
life, our very freedom came under attack in fires burning, huge — huge structures collapsing
a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness,
acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass
offices: secretaries, business men and women, murder were intended to frighten our nation
military and federal workers, moms and dads, into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our
friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were country is strong.
7
Copyright © 2021 by Bedford, Freeman & Worth High School Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used in this sample chapter.
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