Twenty-four years ago, at 8:46 in the morning, in the beautiful, busy city of New York, a passenger plane hit the North Tower. Seventeen minutes later, at 9:03, a second plane hit the South Tower. This caused both towers to collapse within hours. A third plane hit the Pentagon, at 9:37. A fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, after passengers fought back against the hijackers. Little did everyone know, that this day would change American history forever.

Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives that day, including many first responders, passengers, and workers. These attacks shocked America, and many nations across the world. Many families lost loved ones, leading to a wave of grief that crashed over the people in the United States. There were many heroes that day. Police officers, firefighters, and ordinary citizens rescued survivors, and supported each other through this time of immense hardship and darkness.

Following this tragic event, The United States created new security measures that we have all become very familiar with. The Department of Homeland Security, and the Transport Security Administration (TSA) (this one is familiar to the people who fly a lot!). These measures of security were put in place to prevent future events. This event also led to long lasting military conflicts, such as the war in Afghanistan.

Today, we remember 9/11 through memorials, moments of silence, and ceremonies. The National September 11th Memorial and Museum honors all those who lost their lives. This memorial also teaches the younger generations about the importance of American history, as well as the importance of bravery and unity.

Overall, this day reminds us of the power in numbers, and how we can overcome tragedies, no matter the scale of them.