2001

On September 11, 2001, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks were carried out by the extremist group al-Qaeda against the United States. Hijackers took control of four airplanes, crashing two into the World Trade Center towers in New York City and one into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to overcome the hijackers. The attacks resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths and had profound global and domestic impacts, leading to major changes in U.S. foreign and domestic policies.

In response to the September 11 attacks, the U.S. and its allies launched Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7, 2001, targeting the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and al-Qaeda operatives. The military campaign aimed to dismantle terrorist networks and remove the Taliban from power.

On October 23, 2001, Apple Inc. released the first iPod, a portable digital music player.