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Oklahoma City Bombing
This bombing was a domestic terrorist attack in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, when Timothy McVeigh set off a bomb in a truck outside a government building. This explosion killed 168 people, 19 of them were children, and hurt hundreds more. It was the worst terrorist attack in the US at the time and it shocked the whole country. It's important because it showed that serious threats can come from inside the country, not just from outside, and it changed how the US protects people from attacks. -
Columbine High School Shooting
This school shooting occurred when two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, went into their school in Littleton, Colorado, and started shooting. They killed 13 people, including 12 students and one teacher, before taking their own lives. This attack shocked the nation and sparked gun control and school safety debates. This event was one of the first big school shootings and it made people start seriously talking about how to keep schools safe and prevent gun violence. -
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
Terrorists from the group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes in the US. Two of these planes crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City which caused them to collapse. Another plane hit the Pentagon near Washington, DC, and the fourth plane was redirected by the passengers and crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,00 people were killed. This event changed global politics, led to major wars, and reshaped security policies and daily life in the US and beyond. -
The Rise of Social Media
The rise of social media began with the launch of platforms like Facebook (2004), Twitter (2006), and Instagram (2010), which became apart of everyday life for millions of people very quickly. These platforms changed the way we communicate, share information, and connect with others. Social media allows us to post updates, photos, and opinions instantly which became a powerful tool for businesses and news. This changed global communication, how people learn news, and share their everyday lives. -
Hurricane Katrina
This hurricane hit the Gulf Coast of the United States and became one of the worst natural disasters in US history. It caused huge floods in New Orleans after the flood walls broke. Over 1,800 people died, and many more people lost their homes and waited a while for help. The government was very slow to respond, and a lot of people were angry and upset by how it was handled. This event showed how unprepared the country was for a major disaster and made people push for better disaster planning. -
Launch of the iPhone
Apple introduced the first iPhone during a keynote address by Steve Jobs at the Macworld Conference. It was the first phone to combine a touchscreen, music player, and internet all in one user-friendly device. It's clean design and smart features changed what people expected from phones. This is important because it completely changed how we use phones and started the smartphone era we live in today. -
Death of Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda and mastermind behind the September 11 attacks was killed by US Navy SEALs in a hidden compound in Pakistan. The mission was kept secret and ended a long search that lasted almost 10 years. His death was an important moment in the fight against terrorism and brought relief to many people. This was a major step in bringing justice after 9/11 and showed the impact of years of effort to stop terrorism.