Page 55 - Demo

1435Redefining America 2001 to the Present PREVIEWING THE CHAPTER Introduction 2001 to the Present 143 %u2013 147Writing Workshop Analysis of Theme in Fiction 147 %u2013 164Chronological Anthology 164 %u2013 319Conversation What Is the Future of Higher Education? 320 %u2013 329 Suggestions for Writing 330 %u2013 331 Entering the twenty-first century, America experienced perhaps its greatest tragedy and challenge: 9/11 was the defining event of that decade. On the morning of September 11, 2001, members of the terrorist group Al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes, crashing two into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, resulting in the collapse of both Towers. Terrorists crashed a third plane into the Pentagon, headquarters for the United States Department of Defense. On the fourth plane, passengers and crew members fought back, and the plane 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 more than 6,000 people were injured. The wars that the attacks of 9/11 spawned and the impact this tragedy had on American culture continue to be felt two decades later. The third decade of the twenty-first century began with events on a par with its first decade: a worldwide pandemic shut down the United States, and much of the world, as its citizens quarantined and the race for a vaccine began. In the midst of this pandemic, the death of a Black man, George Floyd, at the hands of the police Copyright %u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Not for redistribution.