Summary: In this lesson, students will analyze the effects of the 9/11 attacks on New York City, with specific focus on Major League Baseball and Twin Tower survivors. Students will then examine long-term effects from the attacks across the nation and summarize their analysis with a written response to the Compelling Question: How did the 9/11 terrorist attacks affect American society? Finally, in an iCivics mini-lesson, students will review the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 and analyze how it changed the functions of government security agencies. After analyzing the Act’s impact on terrorism, students consider the government’s dual role to protect people and individual rights.
Overarching Questions:
- CIVICS: Have the concepts of liberty, justice and/or equality changed during the time period? If so, how and what has been the impact?
- CIVICS: How well does the government balance individual rights and the common good, including the need to maintain order, safety and a healthy environment, during this time period?
NJ Student Learning Standards for Social Studies:
- 6.1.12.HistoryUP.14.a: Determine how the 9/11 attacks contributed to the debate over national security and civil liberties.
- 6.1.12.HistorySE.15.b: Analyze the reasons for terrorism and the impact that terrorism has had on individuals and government policies and assess the effectiveness of actions taken by the United States and other nations to prevent terrorism.
Links to Lesson: