What Happened On 9/11 (970l) - Middle School Reading Article Worksheet (Page 2 of 4) in pdf

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What Happened on 9/11? (970L)

Notes on my thoughts,

KAY-dah), led by Osama bin Laden. Al Qaeda practices an extreme version of the

reactions and questions as I

religion of Islam. The group is intensely opposed to the United States and other

read:

Western, democratic nations. They are especially against the military presence of these

countries in Arab nations. Since the group’s creation by bin Laden in the late 1980s, Al

Qaeda has helped coordinate and fund numerous bombings worldwide.

How did America respond to 9/11?

In October 2001, the U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan, where Al Qaeda was

based. The extreme Islamic group that ran Afghanistan's government, known as the

Taliban, was protecting Bin Laden and allowing Al Qaeda to run training camps in the

country. U.S.-led forces soon brought down the Taliban. They are are still working to

help rebuild and stabilize the nation. Since 2001, many Al Qaeda members have been

captured or killed. On May 1, 2011, U.S. troops killed Bin Laden where he was hiding

in Pakistan.

The U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003. Then President George W. Bush and other U.S. leaders

believed that the country’s dictator, Saddam Hussein, was hiding terrible weapons that

could be given to terrorists. Hussein was captured and later put to death by an Iraqi

court. No weapons of mass destruction were found.

How did America change after 9/11?

Following 9/11, the U.S. government took many steps to try to make the country safer.

It tightened security at airports and in public buildings. A new cabinet-level

department—the Department of Homeland Security—was created. It works to protect

the United States from terrorism.

The September 11 terrorist attacks shocked the world and changed the United States forever.

(Gary Hershorn / Reuters)

Smith, N. What happened on 9/11? Scholastic News for Kids. Sept. 10, 2013.

What Happened On 9/11 (970l) - Middle School Reading Article Worksheet Page 2