9/11 in history and memory
The Challenger disaster was one of the most traumatic events in NASA’s history and is often referred to as a “watershed moment,” a crucial turning point after which nothing is the same. Many middle aged Americans remember the Challenger in the way that the generation before them remembered the Kennedy assassination. For many of us, the most prominent watershed moment we remember is the 9/11 attack in 2001. Historians are tasked with helping people commemorate events like these, and secure their place in the national consciousness.
Answer the following questions : Which “watershed moment” (that you have actually lived through) have had the most effect on you personally? Which watershed moments do you believe have had the most impact on our country? In what ways did 9/11 change the American people or culture? How should the attacks be taught to future generations (at what grade level? In how much detail)? Do you believe the memorial is appropriate and does it convey enough information to the visiting public?
