13 Years Ago.....

Tomorrow, September 11, 2014, will mark the 13th anniversary of the tragic terrorist attack now commonly referred to as 9-11. This attack has shaped the future world we live in and our current stance in it.

The link below shows a video highlighting how the day unfolded.
http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks

The link below shows (then) President George W. Bush's speech later that day.
http://www.teachertube.com/video/president-george-w-bush-post-911-speech-95095

The link below is the site of all the primary source, "on the scene" documentation of the chaos in NYC on Sept. 11, 2001.
http://www.history.com/interactives/witness-to-911

On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Often referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defining the presidency of George W. Bush. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., including more than 400 police officers and firefighters.  

On September 11, 2001, at 8:45 a.m. on a clear Tuesday morning, an American Airlines Boeing 767 loaded with 20,000 gallons of jet fuel crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The impact left a gaping, burning hole near the 80th floor of the 110-story skyscraper, instantly killing hundreds of people and trapping hundreds more in higher floors. As the evacuation of the tower and its twin got underway, television cameras broadcasted live images of what initially appeared to be a freak accident. Then, 18 minutes after the first plane hit, a second Boeing 767–United Airlines Flight 175–appeared out of the sky, turned sharply toward the World Trade Center and sliced into the south tower near the 60th floor. The collision caused a massive explosion that showered burning debris over surrounding buildings and the streets below. America was under attack.

The attackers were Islamic terrorists from Saudi Arabia and several other Arab nations. Reportedly financed by Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda terrorist organization, they were allegedly acting in retaliation for America’s support of Israel, its involvement in the Persian Gulf War and its continued military presence in the Middle East. Some of the terrorists had lived in the United States for more than a year and had taken flying lessons at American commercial flight schools. Others had slipped into the country in the months before September 11 and acted as the “muscle” in the operation. The 19 terrorists easily smuggled box-cutters and knives through security at three East Coast airports and boarded four flights bound for California, chosen because the planes were loaded with fuel for the long transcontinental journey. Soon after takeoff, the terrorists commandeered the four planes and took the controls, transforming ordinary commuter jets into guided missiles.

As millions watched the events unfolding in New York, American Airlines Flight 77 circled over downtownWashington, D.C., and slammed into the west side of the Pentagon military headquarters at 9:45 a.m. Jet fuel from the Boeing 757 caused a devastating inferno that led to the structural collapse of a portion of the giant concrete building. All told, 125 military personnel and civilians were killed in the Pentagon, along with all 64 people aboard the airliner.

Less than 15 minutes after the terrorists struck the nerve center of the U.S. military, the horror in New York took a catastrophic turn for the worse when the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed in a massive cloud of dust and smoke. The structural steel of the skyscraper, built to withstand winds in excess of 200 miles per hour and a large conventional fire, could not withstand the tremendous heat generated by the burning jet fuel. At 10:30 a.m., the other Trade Center tower collapsed. Close to 3,000 people died in the World Trade Center and its vicinity, including a staggering 343 firefighters and paramedics, 23 New York City police officers and 37 Port Authority police officers who were struggling to complete an evacuation of the buildings and save the office workers trapped on higher floors. Only six people in the World Trade Center towers at the time of their collapse survived. Almost 10,000 others were treated for injuries, many severe.

Meanwhile, a fourth California-bound plane–United Flight 93–was hijacked about 40 minutes after leaving Newark International Airport in New Jersey. Because the plane had been delayed in taking off, passengers on board learned of events in New York and Washington via cell phone and Airfone calls to the ground. Knowing that the aircraft was not returning to an airport as the hijackers claimed, a group of passengers and flight attendants planned an insurrection. One of the passengers, Thomas Burnett Jr., told his wife over the phone that “I know we’re all going to die. There’s three of us who are going to do something about it. I love you, honey.” Another passenger–Todd Beamer–was heard saying “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll” over an open line. Sandy Bradshaw, a flight attendant, called her husband and explained that she had slipped into a galley and was filling pitchers with boiling water. Her last words to him were “Everyone’s running to first class. I’ve got to go. Bye.”

The passengers fought the four hijackers and are suspected to have attacked the cockpit with a fire extinguisher. The plane then flipped over and sped toward the ground at upwards of 500 miles per hour, crashing in a rural field in western Pennsylvania at 10:10 a.m. All 45 people aboard were killed. Its intended target is not known, but theories include the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland or one of several nuclear power plants along the eastern seaboard.

At 7 p.m., President George W. Bush, who had spent the day being shuttled around the country because of security concerns, returned to the White House. At 9 p.m., he delivered a televised address from the Oval Office, declaring, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.” In a reference to the eventual U.S. military response he declared, “We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.”

Operation Enduring Freedom, the American-led international effort to oust the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and destroy Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network based there, began on October 7. Within two months, U.S. forces had effectively removed the Taliban from operational power, but the war continued, as U.S. and coalition forces attempted to defeat a Taliban insurgency campaign based in neighboring Pakistan. Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the September 11th attacks, remained at large until May 2, 2011, when he was finally tracked down and killed by U.S. forces at a hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan. In June 2011, President Barack Obama announced the beginning of large-scale troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, with a final withdrawal of U.S. forces tentatively scheduled for 2014.

Maps, Charts, and Graphs Concerning the World Religions

The Major World Religions

The world is filled with thousands of different belief systems, or religions. It would be impossible and impractical to study most of them. However, the world's major religions should be studied and understood for both their historic and cultural relevancy.

The world's five major religions are listed below in order of largest to smallest. It is important to note that all of these religions have many different sects within them. For example, one can be a Catholic, or a Baptist, or perhaps a Methodist, but all three sects fall under the major religious belief system known as Christianity. The same thing can be said for all the major religions. Each has subgroups within it.

1)Christianity
2)Islam
3)Hinduism
4)Buddhism/Confucianism/Eastern Asian philosophical religions
5)Judaism





The map above shows where the religions of the world are most dominant. Obviously, their are followers of each of these major religions throughout the world. For example, we have Muslims (followers of Islam) in the United States but they do not make up the majority, instead Christianity is the dominant religion there.

The Major World Religions

	Judaism	Christianity	Islam	Hinduism	Buddhism
Founder	The Hebrew leader Abraham founded Judaism around 2000B.C. Moses gave the Jews the Torah around 1250 B.C.	Jesus Christ, who was crucified around A.D. 30 in Jerusalem.	Muhammad, who was born in A.D. 570 at Mecca, inSaudi Arabia.	Hinduism has no founder. The oldest religion, it may date to prehistoric times.	Siddhartha Gautama, called the Buddha, in the 4th or 5th century B.C. inIndia.
How Many Gods	One	One	One	Many (all gods and goddesses are considered different forms of one Supreme Being.)	None, but there are enlightened beings (Buddhas)
Holy Writings	The most important are the Torah, or the first five books of Moses. Others include Judaism's oral tradition, the written form of which is known as the Talmud.	The Bible is the main sacred text of Christianity.	The Koran is the sacred book of Islam.	The most ancient are the four Vedas.	The most important are the Tripitaka, the Mahayana Sutras, Tantra, and Zen texts.
Beliefs	Jews believe in the laws of God and the words of the prophets. In Judaism, however, actions are more important than beliefs.	Jesus taught love of God and neighbor and a concern for justice.	The Five Pillars, or main duties, are: profession of faith; prayer; charitable giving; fasting during the month of Ramadan; and pilgrimage to Mecca at least once.	Reincarnation states that all living things are caught in a cycle of death and rebirth. Life is ruled by the laws of karma, in which rebirth depends on moral behavior.	The Four Noble Truths: (1) all beings suffer; (2) desire—for possessions, power, and so on—causes suffering; (3) desire can be overcome; and (4) the path that leads away from desire is the Eightfold Path (the Middle Way).
Types	The three main types are Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform. Conservative Jews follow most traditional practices, but less strictly than the Orthodox. Reform Jews are the least traditional.	In 1054 Christians separated into the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. In the early 1500s the major Protestant groups (Lutheran,Presbyterian, and Episcopalian) came into being. A variety of other groups have since developed.	Almost 90% of Muslims are Sunnis. Shiites are the second-largest group. The Shiites split from the Sunnis in 632 when Muhammad died.	No single belief system unites Hindus. A Hindu can believe in only one god, in many, or in none.	Theravada (Way of the Elders) and Mahayana (Greater Vehicle) are the two main types.
Where	There are large Jewish populations in Israel and the U.S.	Through its missionary activity Christianity has spread to most parts of the globe.	Islam is the main religion of the Middle East, Asia, and the north of Africa.	Hinduism is practiced by more than 80% of India's population

HOW TIME IS MEASURED

Scientists have theorized that the Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old and that life (algae, bacteria, etc.) started around 3.8 billion years ago. Now, that's really old! But, how long ago is it really?

The link below has an awesome interactive timeline that shows the entire history of the world in million year increments. Check it out.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/history_of_the_earth

 If you have ever read about something that happened long ago, then you are probably familiar with the abbreviations BC or BCE and AD or CE. Look at the time line on the previous page. Notice that Buddha was born in 563 BCE. Muhammad died in 632 CE. Both BC and BCE represent the years before the birth of Jesus. CE and AD represent the years after the life of Jesus.

AD mean the years after the birth of Jesus. The abbreviations stand for the following:

BC = Before Christ

AD = Anno Domini (in the year of our Lord)

BCE = Before the Common Era

CE = Common Era

You have probably also read of events happening, for example, in the 5th century or even in the 5th century BCE. A century is 100 years. If people lived in the 1st century, they lived in the first 100 years CE, or in the first 100 years after the birth of Jesus. So, if we say something happened in the l9th century, we mean it happened during the years 1801-1900 CE. The same rule applies to the centuries BCE, only we count backwards from the birth of Jesus. For example, Buddha was born in 563 BCE, which would mean he was born in the 6th century BC

Time Line

Hemispheres of the World and the Importance of the Equator and Prime Meridian

The four hemispheres of the world. The Equator splits the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and the Prime Meridian splits the Eastern and Western Hemispheres (see the two images below). You can also further divide the globe into the Northeastern Hemisphere, the Southeastern Hemisphere, the Northwestern Hemisphere, and the Southwestern Hemisphere. For example, North America is located in the Northwestern Hemisphere and Australia (Oceania) is located in the Southeastern Hemisphere. 

Geography 101

Geography is a complex subject that includes both physical and cultural geography. Maps, land forms, culture, history, and science are all part of geography.With that being said, most people know very little about the planet we live on. As a young student, you should definitely know some of the basics. The following covers some of the basics.


This map shows the 7 continents, the 5 major oceans, and the imaginary grid of latitude and longitude lines. Notice it also includes a map scale.



The world map above shows all the countries of the world. Although, you might not be able to make out all the names, you can clearly see the political boundaries and see the different nationalities of the world. Each of these countries have their own government system, their own laws, many have their own form of currency (money), and their own individual culture. 




On the map above you can see the major mountain ranges of the world highlighted in purple.




The above map shows the major deserts of the world. 




This is a world population density map. More orange dots means the area is more populated.





This pie chart shows how the continents stack up to each other with regards to population. Notice that Asia has over half of the world's population.





The map above is showing the different climate zones throughout the world. Climate refers to long-term weather patterns. 




The map above is showing the major religions of the world and in what areas that they are the dominant religion. 



The following website is a great site that has tons of different types of world maps (religions, climates, population, countries, government systems, world money, etc.)

http://www.mapsofworld.com/

"Big Picture" questions to think about and comment on:

1) How are countries and continents different?
2) Where are the continents and oceans located on the world map?
3) Where is the Amazon Rainforest, the Sahara Desert, the major mountain ranges of the world,       biggest cities of the world, major countries, etc. located on a world map?
4) What is the significance of the equator? What about the Prime Meridian?
5) How do the Equator and Prime Meridian create the 4 hemispheres? What hemisphere do we live     in?
6) Define geography.
7) Define culture.
8) How does physical geography affect population?
9) How does climate affect population?
10) How does physical geography affect culture?

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT RECIPES, BUT THE INGREDIENTS ARE ALWAYS THE SAME!!!!!

One of the most important things each student can do for themselves at the beginning of the school year is to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses; to think about their goals for the upcoming school year; and to make a game plan, so to speak, as to how to achieve their goals. 

Success is not determined by pure luck or chance. It is the result of consistent hard work. Each strong student is different in the way that they put the ingredients together but nevertheless, they all share the exact same ingredients. With that said, what are the ingredients, or rather characteristics of a successful student?

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS

• Consistent effort
• Organization
• Good listening skills
• Strong study habits
• Enthusiasm 
• Inherent drive to want to learn
• Use your personal passions as a vehicle to succeed

Below is a link to a 40 question survey/checklist to see how you rank yourself with regards to the characteristics of successful students. 

http://www.niagara.edu/assets/listpage/40-Characteristics-of-Successful-Students.pdf

Final Thought: 

Life is what you make of it. You can drive around aimlessly, OR you can learn, see, and experience our world and ultimately arrive at your chosen destination. I choose the later.