September 11th found me reminiscing about America before and after this tragedy. The top five days listed below are integral events which shaped the United States of today. Of course these selections are highly debatable, but I’m not out to write a history book. In my opinion these moments altered US culture, opinion, and history irrevocably.#1) Declaration of Independence – July 4, 1776, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The men signing this document knew they were essentially signing their own death warrants by placing their names on his document. To challenge and revolt against King George III and England was treason. Thanks to their courage, determination, and foresight, the United States is one of the fortunate places in the world where our freedoms are protected.
- “…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness…” – excerpt from the Declaration of Independence. To read the whole passage, click here.
#2) Assassination of Abraham Lincoln – April 14, 1865, Washington, DC
A simple man from simple beginnings, Honest Abe was a president of and for the people of America. In historical retrospect it’s really no surprise that he endorsed the Emancipation Proclamation granting freedom to slaves. An unpopular decision with the southern states of the union, Lincoln’s brave move to secure freedom for all was repaid with his murder. Still, his courage in making such a difficult political decision resulted in the Civil War which emphasized the country’s factions and diverse opinions. Ultimately however, his first steps to grant all Americans freedom laid the foundation for civil rights.
#3) Woodstock – August 15 – 18, 1969, Bethel, New York
It was a time of change in America—political unrest and a clash between old thinking and new in social norms. Aside from the sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll which were taking hold, this time marked a mass movement toward questioning what was and what had to be. A decade of political events (Bay of Pigs Invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis, Malcolm X/Martin Luther King/John F. Kennedy/Robert F. Kennedy assassinations, Gay Rights Movement, Vietnam War, and more) culminated in this inevitable moment. With so much political strife, it’s no wonder people were craving peace and a summer of love, which of course brought its own ramifications. (Click here to see Jimi Hendrix’s famed take on the Star Spangled Banner.)
#4) Challenger Space Shuttle – January 28, 1986, Cape Canaveral, Florida
This is a childhood memory I’ll never forget. My class was tuned into the TV ready to watch
the first teacher take off into space. The excitement in the room was almost tangible. Going into outer space was an adventure of enormous proportions. As the tragedy unfolded, we sat in silence--dumbfounded, confused, and terribly aware of what just happened on live TV. Our teacher turned off the set and led us in a Hail Mary. This event marked the first realization for me that mankind is fallible. Our best intentions, the smartest people, and choices we make are still at the mercy of fate. It was a scary moment and one that will always remind me that every adventure has its costs. As a dominating, international political presence, this tragedy showed the world that even the US had vulnerabilities.
#5) September 11, 2001, New York, NY
Like the assassination of President Kennedy for the generation before us, September 11th is a day generation X-ers / Y-ers (and everyone else) will never forget. Sitting in front of my computer in my company’s Philadelphia headquarters, it was just another late summer day—sunny, warm, and uncomfortable as I was eight months pregnant. Around 8:50 am a coworker ran into my office announcing that one of the twin towers was hit. Confusion and curiosity flooded our department. About ten minutes later, I headed to the cafeteria for a drink where a TV had been set up so we could follow the news. Drink in hand and eyes transfixed on the smoking tower #1, I watched in horror as Flight 175 crashed into tower 2. At that moment it became clear this wasn’t a random accident, but America was under attack. There was work to be done that day, but everyone was preoccupied by the twin towers, then the hit on the Pentagon, and finally Flight 93’s crash near Shanksville, PA.
Many of us knew people in New York and were trying to reach them, but the phone circuits were busy or dead. My thoughts were with my best friend who was working in downtown Manhattan and her boyfriend who worked in the tower plaza. (They were a couple of the lucky ones to escape that day.)
With the horrors unfolding in New York and Washington, Philadelphia was on lockdown. It’s the birthplace of the US and a major hub for business on the east coast; we were scared that we were next. As the day’s tragedies faded into the days and weeks following, America changed. Innocence was lost in this new wave of terrorism on our home turf. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents stood united, side-by-side. Our ideological differences took a back seat to the protection of our ideals of democracy and freedom.
Terrorists can never destroy our conviction “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Our country protects these rights. Our soldiers fight to guarantee these rights for us. It’s the reason why my family, like so many others before us, wanted to come here. The US was and is a land of opportunity and freedom—two vital components of life that so many around the world lack.
Although the political-socio-economic repercussions from this day will be felt for decades, we are still united in our stance against extremist groups who will do whatever it takes to destroy our freedoms. Like their own beliefs, ours are so ingrained in us that we will fight for our rights no matter what.
Where were you on September 11th?
With a history spanning over 234 years, the United States’ rich past is filled with many significant events like the 1849 gold rush, the Wright Brothers, Civil Rights Movement, Women’s Rights Movement, invention of the atomic bomb, Apollo 11 Moonwalk, Industrial Revolution, Wall Street Crash of 1929, Attack on Pearl Harbor, the first black president, and so much more. Like all histories, it’s filled with good and bad and everything in between, but these events created the world, country, and people we are today.
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JFK's assassination was the end of innocence in the United States and belongs in this list.
ReplyDeleteThought provoking list. Things like this are certainly a matter of opinion, but there's no denying that the 5 you picked were significant.
ReplyDelete