On September 5, 1972, Palestinian terrorists from the Black September organization stormed the Israeli quarters in the Olympic Village during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. They took 9 hostages and demanded the release of more than 200 Arab and German prisoners as well as safe passage to Cairo, Egypt.

On their way to the plane, which was to take them to Cairo, a gunfight erupted with the German police. Eleven Israelis, 5 Palestinians and 1German police officer were killed.

On September 7, 1977, President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian President Omar Torrijos signed two treaties which gradually transferred control of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama at the end of the 20th century.

Many in the U.S. Congress opposed giving up control of the Canal because they said they lacked of confidence in the stability of the Panamanian government. Nevertheless, control was handed to Panama on December 31, 1999.

On September 11, 2001, four large passenger jets were hijacked shortly after takeoff by teams of hijackers. Approximately, 3-thousand people in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania died in the crashes.

Within minutes of each other, two of the planes (American Airlines 11 - north tower) (United Airlines 175 - south tower) were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The impact and subsequent fire caused both towers to collapse. At least 28-hundred people, including people trapped in the buildings, fire and police personnel died in the terrorist attacks in New York.

A third airplane (American Airlines flight 77) crashed into the Pentagon located near Washington D.C. Sixty-four passengers died on board as well as 125 people in the building.

Meanwhile, a fourth plane (United Airlines flight 93), carrying 45 passengers and crew crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to overpower the terrorists on board. It is believed the action may have diverted the aircraft from heading toward Washington D.C.

The September 11th terrorist attacks are considered the worst in American history.