Out of all the battles America has faced, none have been as life-changing as 9/11. September 9, 2001, was a day that no one will ever forget. On that day, America encountered a personal attack against us at the hands of a terrorist nation. Many people lost their lives in the tragic event that shook the nation, and our country experianced a rather rude wake up call. America was forever changed due to 9/11 in three main ways: we increased our travel security, changed our attitudes, and our nation came together more than it ever has before.

One of the first things our nation did because of 9/11 was increasing our travel security. Hundreds of airports closed down for days afer the attacks, and thousands were laid off airline jobs. According to Emily Sohn, a Science News for Students journalist, the long lines and multiple x-ray machines added after 9/11 are nesaccary to provide safe flying for all civilians. Although the lines are slow moving and the security seems to thorough, Emily was right. As an American citizen, I do not want to experiance another 9/11 attack, and I would much rather wait through a security line than watch another tragic event on television. Let’s face it, American airports might have changed a lot due to 9/11, but that change has been worth it.

We, as a country, have also changed our attitudes since 9/11. Almost immediately after the attacks occurred, most people were incredulous. No one could believe America had been publicly threatened for the first time. When I asked my mom, Lindsay Hancock, how she felt after 9/11, she said she felt shocked more than anything. She didn’t feel sad at first because she didn’t know how bad it was, and she wasn’t angry, she was just shocked. I was not suprised to hear this reaction from her, because that is how I feel too. I was not alive when the attacks happened, but I am still shocked that something like that occured. After a period of sorrow and disbelief, people started becoming suspicious and angry. People started to believe that every foriegn person had been in on the attacks, and that blame had to be placed. Retaliations occured in many states, and many foreigners were killed because of them. After most of the anger and suspicion passed, people became more aware of the world they live in. Since there were people who wanted to harm America, we had to be ready. This sudden realzation made many people frightened, but it also helped us prepare for the future. Out of all the feelings that were created because of 9/11, one is stll with us today, pride. People found pride in our nation for being able to bounce back from such an attack. It changed many people for the better, and showed how even when we hit rock bottom, we still have each other.

When asked how 9/11 changed her, Lindsay said: “It made me feel like America is worth fighting for. ” This sense of pride was stirred inside many after the attacks. The most important thing the attacks on 9/11 did for us was they strengthened and united our nation. Although rather shaken, 9/11 left us stronger and more united then we had been in the past. People came together to donate blood, raise money, and provide shelter to those in need. Not only American citizens came together, but the whole world was on our side. Many nations offered condolences and expressed how wrong they thought these attacks were. Even after the struggle of 9/11, our nation bounced back, became better off because if it. Lindsay also agrees that we became more united after the attacks. She said: “My generation had never been under attack before 9/11, and it made me feel more patriotic. Like we need to stand up and defend our country. ” This sense of patriotism was exactly what kept us together, and many people experianced it during 9/11. 9/11 changed us in many ways.

On top of increasing our security and changing the way we travel, 9/11 inspired pride and patriotism in many people. Countries, cities, and citizens came together to help out in whatever way they could. The planes from the attack might have broken many things apart, but they didn’t break us. 9/11 shook our nation, but is also told us that America is worth fighting for.