9/11

 

EarthCam time lapse of Ground Zero

 

September 11, 2001 was the most traumatic day in American history. At 8:45am in New York a plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center, eighteen minutes later the second building was hit. At 10:00am the South tower fell, thirty minutes later the north tower also fell. Not only did terrorists attack the World Trade Center, they also flew a plane into the Pentagon, killing 145 military personnel. A fourth plane connected with the terrorist threat didn't make it's destination and fell in a field outside of Pennsylvania. George W. Bush addressed the American population at 9pm and said "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."  After 12 years the USA is still trying to grow and cope with the lost and fear that we all encountered that day.

 The time lapse movie above shows how ground zero has been rebuild and incorporated with a memorial and museum to represent the lives lost. In the clip as the music grows stronger the building gets taller, as if saying you can knock us down but we will always get back up.

Symbol: Ground zero has become a symbol to Americans, it has a deeper meaning larger than steel and concrete. The new memorial and museum represents what used to be a workplace, business relationships, friendships and also, unfortunately a gravesite.  To remember the day, we honor the people we lost, the war against terrorist, and the hope to stand strong as a nation. 

 

Icon: The old twin towers were an iconic part of the New York skyline. Without them it seems strangely empty. The new tower  has been nicknamed Freedom Tower (Tower One) and has the likeness of the old world trade centers. Freedom Tower has been build to insure its security, so although the building is not identical to the towers, it is similar. Which makes it a new icon in New York.

 

Index: Every time we look at the new world trade center towers, we will always be reminded of the twin towers. It's cause and effect. The people in today's world will continue to relive 9/11, it has left a indelible mark on the city.

Before the attack on September 11, 2001

 

The clip above only shows Tower 1 or Freedom Tower being constructed. You can also see the 4th tower coming along near the end of the clip. Tower 4 should be done by the end of the month. Two more towers are going to be built in-between 1 and 4. The second tower has been delayed due to economic issues. The third will be completed by 2016. All of the new buildings have been manufactured and tested to ensure the maximum strength possible. It was important to the architects that the buildings design was reinvented to support all safety measures.



What the skyline will look like when all four building are complete

The new skyline has been reinvented. Many people came together to rebuild what was lost 12 years ago. The memorial and museum have been completed. Now people around the world can visit and remember the civilians, military and the scores of dedicated city employees who lost their lives that fateful morning.