September 11 facts for kids

September 11 is a date with many important events throughout history. From ancient battles to modern discoveries and sad events, this day has seen a lot happen around the world. Many famous people were also born or passed away on this day.

Major Historical Events on September 11

Battles and Conflicts Through Time

Ancient and Medieval Clashes

• AD 9 – The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ended. This was a huge defeat for the Roman Empire. It set the Rhine River as a border for hundreds of years between the Romans and the Germanic peoples.
• 1185 – A revolt in the Byzantine Empire led to Isaac II Angelos becoming emperor.
• 1297 – At the Battle of Stirling Bridge, Scottish forces led by William Wallace and Andrew Moray won a big victory against the English.
• 1565 – The Great Siege of Malta ended when Ottoman forces left Malta.

Conflicts from the 1600s to 1900s

• 1683 – The Battle of Vienna took place. A group of European armies, including the famous winged Hussars, helped lift the siege of Vienna by Ottoman forces. This was a very important battle in European history.
• 1697 – The Battle of Zenta was another major defeat for the Ottoman Empire.
• 1708 – Charles XII of Sweden stopped his march towards Moscow, which was a turning point in the Great Northern War.
• 1714 – The city of Barcelona surrendered to Spanish and French armies during the War of the Spanish Succession.
• 1777 – During the American Revolutionary War, the British won a big victory at the Battle of Brandywine in Pennsylvania.
• 1814 – In the War of 1812, the United States won a major victory at the Battle of Plattsburgh.
• 1857 – The Mountain Meadows massacre occurred in Utah.

Modern Era Events: 1900s to Today

World Wars and Cold War Era

• 1914 – During World War I, Australia invaded German New Guinea.
• 1941 – Construction began on The Pentagon, a famous building in the United States.
• 1944 – In World War II, a British air raid on Darmstadt in Germany caused a firestorm that killed many people.
• 1945 – Australian 9th Division forces freed a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp on the island of Borneo.
• 1965 – During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the Indian Army captured the town of Burki.
• 1967 – China's army attacked Indian posts, leading to military clashes in Sikkim, India.
• 1973 – A military takeover in Chile, led by General Augusto Pinochet, removed the elected president Salvador Allende from power.

Disasters and Tragedies

• 1954 – Hurricane Edna hit New England in the United States, causing a lot of damage and deaths.
• 1961 – Hurricane Carla struck the Texas coast as one of the strongest storms ever to hit the state.
• 1974 – Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 crashed in Charlotte, killing many people.
• 2001 – The September 11 attacks took place. These were terrible terrorist attacks where 19 members of al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes. Two planes hit the World Trade Center in New York City, one hit The Pentagon in Virginia, and another crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives.
• 2012 – Over 300 people died in two factory fires in Pakistan.
• 2015 – A crane fell onto a mosque in Saudi Arabia, killing many people.
• 2023 – The city of Derna in Libya suffered terrible floods after a storm, causing thousands of deaths.

Technological and Political Milestones

• 1972 – The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system started passenger service.
• 1989 – Hungary announced that East German refugees could travel to West Germany. This was an important step towards the end of the Cold War.
• 1997 – NASA's Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft reached Mars.
• 1997 – After a vote, Scotland decided to have its own parliament within the United Kingdom.
• 2007 – Russia tested a very powerful conventional weapon called the "Father of All Bombs."
• 2011 – A special ceremony was held at the National September 11 Memorial in New York City, marking 10 years since the 9/11 attacks.

Famous Births on September 11

Many notable people were born on this day throughout history.

• 1524 – Pierre de Ronsard, a famous French poet.
• 1771 – Mungo Park, a Scottish surgeon and explorer.
• 1816 – Carl Zeiss, a German lens maker who created important Optical instruments.
• 1862 – O. Henry, a well-known American short story writer.
• 1885 – D. H. Lawrence, an English novelist and poet.
• 1917 – Ferdinand Marcos, who became the 10th President of the Philippines.
• 1924 – Tom Landry, a famous American football coach.
• 1935 – Arvo Pärt, an Estonian composer.
• 1935 – Gherman Titov, a Russian astronaut who was the second person in space.
• 1945 – Franz Beckenbauer, a legendary German footballer and manager.
• 1960 – Hiroshi Amano, a Japanese physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics.
• 1965 – Bashar al-Assad, the 21st President of Syria.
• 1965 – Moby, a popular American musician and DJ.
• 1967 – Harry Connick Jr., an American singer, pianist, and actor.
• 1970 – Taraji P. Henson, an American actress and singer.
• 1977 – Ludacris, an American rapper and producer.

Notable Deaths on September 11

This day also marks the passing of many important figures.

• 1063 – Béla I of Hungary, a Hungarian king.
• 1297 – Hugh de Cressingham, an English Treasurer.
• 1733 – François Couperin, a French organist and composer.
• 1823 – David Ricardo, an influential English economist.
• 1888 – Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, an Argentinian journalist and the 7th President of Argentina.
• 1948 – Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the first Governor-General of Pakistan.
• 1950 – Jan Smuts, a South African field marshal and the 2nd Prime Minister of South Africa.
• 1971 – Nikita Khrushchev, a Russian general and politician.
• 1973 – Salvador Allende, the 29th President of Chile, who died during a military takeover.
• 2001 – Many Casualties of the September 11 attacks occurred on this day.
• 2002 – Johnny Unitas, a famous American football player.
• 2003 – Anna Lindh, the 39th Minister of Foreign Affairs for Sweden.
• 2003 – John Ritter, an American actor.
• 2019 – B. J. Habibie, the 3rd President of Indonesia.

Holidays and Special Days

September 11 is observed in different ways around the world.

• Battle of Tendra Day (Russia)
• Death Anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Pakistan)
• Emergency Number Day (United States)
• Enkutatash (New Year in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and for Rastafari) – This day is celebrated on September 11, unless it's a leap year.
• National Day (Catalonia)
• Nayrouz (Coptic Orthodox Church) – This day is celebrated on September 11, or September 12 in leap years.
• September 11 attacks-related observances (United States):
  • National Day of Service and Remembrance
  • Patriot Day
• Teachers' Day (Argentina)

See also

In Spanish: 11 de septiembre para niños