Ground Zero Dbq Essay

“Where were you when the world stopped turning?” (Source N). Millions of people all woke up on that clear September morning just planning to go about their days. Fathers kissed their wives and kids, children went off to school, mothers ran errands, children were born, the world turned just like it did every day. That is until 8:45 am on September 11, 2001. The North World Trade Center building was struck by a Boeing 767, instantly killing everyone on board. Even though it was tragic and first responders started responding, no one was thinking it was any more than a freak accident. Until 18 minutes later another Boeing 767 appeared, turned sharply towards the south tower and flew directly into it. The United States was under what would become

the worst attack on U.S. soil. If things couldn’t get any worse news broke that the Pentagon had just been hit by another plan. Mere minutes after that the south tower started imploding on itself. At 10:30 the north tower followed suit. This wasn’t even the end of the nightmare. A 4th plane crashed into a Pennsylvania field (which was possibly headed for the capital) after the passengers bravely tried to regain control of the plane from the hijackers. The man behind all the madness was Osama Bin Laden, am Islamic terrorist from the middle east, and the group al-Qaeda. Across America and the world people sat helpless as they watched 2,966 people lose their lives over the course of a few hours. (Source M).

After the initial threat was taken care of, and cleanup was well on its way, one question was on everyone’s mind: How can we and generations to come remember this terrible occurrence? No one was sure how exactly to represent the attack in a way that people could learn about it and respectfully represent all of those who lost their lives at the same time. A global design competition was created in 2003 and the memorial design was selected from one of more than 5,000 entries. (Source C). Michael Arad and Peter Walker won the contest with their idea “Reflecting Absence.” (Source G). Arad and Walker worked alongside Ziger/Snead Architects company to make their ideas a reality. (Source N).

In memory of that fateful day, the 9/11 Memorial was constructed and opened on the 10th anniversary of the attack. The memorial consists of a memorial and a memorial museum. The memorial and museum are both set within the sixteen acres that the twin towers originally occupied. Altogether the memorial occupies about eight of these. The memorial is made up of two reflecting pools with waterfalls, each occupying about one acre. The pools are set in the footprints of the original towers. (Source A). The pools themselves are actually about 31% smaller than the actual footprints. Source J. The memorial is surrounded by swamp oak trees, Source H. Including the surrounding the trees, the memorials then occupy the entire size of the original footprints, (Source D). The museum part of the memorial is 110,000 square feet, and is also known as ground zero, because it is placed underground and in between the two pools, (Source L).

Symbolism

While viewing the fountains, you will find hundreds of names inscribed into bronze panels surrounding the pools. The names that are inscribed into the memorial are those of every single person who died in the September 11th attack, as well as 6 names from the World Trade Center bombing in February of 1993. The names have been strategically placed around the memorial by “meaningful adjacencies”, which means that their names are near other victims that they had relations with, as well as in proximity to where they were at the time of their death. (Source B) This display of names helps Americans to remember the largest loss of lives by a foreign attack and the greatest loss of rescue personnel in all of American History, (Source E). On the birthdays of those fallen, a white rose will be placed by the name of birthday boy/girl, (Source K). The roses are just another special touch to those who gave their life for our country.

The trees surrounding the memorials were well thought out and planned. With 400 trees in the area, the memorial was designed to be ecofriendly. With the trees ever changing, the park is filled with a sense of rebirth. (Source A). Just like the people being remembered in the memorial, each of those white swamp oak trees are individuals, and all are unique. The leaves on each tree changes from green to pink to red to brown at their own pace, making them all different. Chosen for their durability, these trees can grow up to 60 feet tall. With different heights and leaves, the trees symbolize not only the people being remembered, but remind those in the area that they are one of a kind. (Source H)

Every year on the anniversary of the attack, the towers are lit up, and shoot beams of light into the sky where the towers originally where. This is known as the Tribune of Light. Starting at dusk, the lights shine through the day until dawn. This symbolizes not only all of the lost lives of that day, but it also celebrates New York’s “unbreakable spirit.” Each light beam is made up of 88 7,000-watt xenon bulbs. The light shines 4 miles into the sky, and can be seen within a 60 mile radius around lower Manhattan. Source I This allows people to see and remember from all over Manhattan, and not only those who are at the Memorial on September 11th.

Controversy

Just like with everything else in the world the memorial came with a great deal of controversy.

For thousands of people this is the final resting place for their families and friends, they didn’t believe that it was the right thing to do to start building up structures and new buildings on Ground Zero. Ultimately, the memorial and museum were built, but surprise, surprise, more controversy. To enter the museum, it costs $24 dollars. (Source F). Many families are outraged by this considering that part of the museum holds 8,000 unidentified remains from the attacks. This plot of land is a burial ground and as one man puts it “it’s the only cemetery in the world that you have to pay to get in.” Aside from just the entry fee when you exit the museum you walk through a gift shop. Although it isn’t like at the zoo where there is a bunch of candy and toys it still makes a lot of families made about the juxtaposition of “trinkets amid tragedy.” The same man that gave the earlier quote says that he won’t even go to the museum because of how disgusted he is by all the

commercialism.
Another major aspect of controversy stems from the religion of Al Quade, Islam. Since the attacks happen many Americans have labeled any Islamic follower or Muslim as a terrorist, not even caring who they are talking about. So the shock that came with the preposition to build a mosque and Islamic center 2 blocks from Ground Zero was like throwing gallons upon gallons of gasoline onto a fire. Phrases such as “house of evil” where used by families and citizens to describe the proposal. However, they weren’t able to stop the plans to go through. Park 51, originally named Cordoba House. The building is 13 stories and was opened in 2011. (Source P).

The Other 8 acres/The Freedom Tower
A lot of people believed that there should be tower built right in the footprints of the twin towers.

To show the world that America is still strong. Again people were mad since Ground Zero IS a burial ground. So the idea was formed to build a new building next to the memorial. People were scared to name it World Trade Center, because they felt that it would give a negative connotation and deter people from renting space in the building. Therefore it was initially called The Freedom Tower but then people got upset about that the name because they believed it meant that America wasn’t free until after the attacks and our freedom isn’t written in the name of a building. So in 2008 the name was changed to 1 World Trade Center. The initial design, from architect Daniel Libeskind who was choose from a design contest, was going to have a spire on the top that reflected Statue of Liberty and stood 1,776 feet in the air to symbolize the year of America’s independence, but ultimately the owner of the 16 acres, Larry Silverstein, didn’t approve and chose a different architect, David Childs, to design the building. Childs did promise however that he would keep the height and he followed through with that. That wasn’t even the beginning of the issues and controversy. When the plans were unveiled the city of New York was terrified that it would make it easy for another attack. So, the first 20 floors of the tower became a concrete bunker. Which in itself became another symbol. 1 WTC

was now “the most fortified office tower in America.” The tower in itself symbolizes the rebirth of the economy and the small step in rebuilding lower Manhattan. (Source O). The rest of the 8 acres are being built with smaller world trade center buildings and office space buildings.

Not everyone who is alive now was alive the day the towers fell, and even some of those who were do not remember the tragedy because they were too young. Being the greatest loss of lives due to a foreign attack in American history, it is important that everyone remembers it. In recent years the students in school are not old enough to remember the incident and the schools are not talking about it at all. Without learning about this piece of American history, it will eventually be lost. The Memorial and Museum allow everyone, those with recollection of the event, and those without, to experience a firsthand experience of the attack. It helps everyone to get a chance to see things through the eyes of those who lived it, and let them answer the question: Where were you when the world stopped turning.

Works Cited
Source A Secondary (https://www.911memorial.org/design-overview)
Source B Secondary (https://www.911memorial.org/blog/meaning-behind-arrangement-911-memorial-names)
Source C Secondary (https://news.yale.edu/2012/11/28/architect-911-memorial-tells-story-its-creation)
Source D Secondary (www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1536231)
Source E Secondary (https://www.911memorial.org/about-memorial)
Source F Secondary (http://abcnews.go.com/US/victims-families-furious-911-memorial-museum/story?id=23774869)
Source G Secondary (https://www.911memorial.org/design-competition)
Source H Secondary (https://www.911memorial.org/selecting-trees)
Source I Secondary (https://www.911memorial.org/tribute-light)
Source J Secondary (www.nytimes.com/2005/12/15/nyregion/memorial-pools-will-not-quite-fill-twin-footprints.html)
Source K Secondary (https://www.nycinsiderguide.com/ground-zero-memorial)
Source L Secondary (https://www.nycinsiderguide.com/9-11-memorial-museum)
Source M Secondary (http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks)
Source N Secondary (https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/alanjackson/wherewereyouwhentheworldstoppedturning.html)
Source O Secondary (http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/towering-symbol-sept-11-article-1.1451437)
Source P Secondary (http://abcnews.go.com/US/mosque-plan-clears-hurdle-protests/story?id=10747570)