World Trade Center Construction

In 1939, New York held the World’s Fair. For those that do not know The World’s Fair is “an international exposition featuring exhibits and participants from all over the world” (World Fair). The New York World’s Fair had an exhibition entitled the “World Trade Center” which was “dedicated to the concept of ‘world peace through trade’” (Remembering 9/11). Winthrop W. Aldrich decided to explore the idea of turning this exhibit into a reality, but soon abandon his plans, after wide spread criticism (Remembering 9/11). However, s generation later, David Rockefeller, Winthrop’s nephew and grandson of John Rockefeller, made the decision to resuscitate the idea of the World Trade Center and finally realized his uncle’s dream (Remembering 9/11). In “February 1967, construction” of the World Trade Center began (Remembering 9/11). However, there were many critics of this massive building, including Lawrence Wien, who “ran an ad in The New York Times on May 1968 predicting that a commercial airliner was likely to fly into the towers” (Remembering 9/11). This prediction was based on the premise that a plane would be unable to navigate around these tremendously …show more content…
Osama Bin Laden targeted the Twin Towers because they contained offices of some of the leading financial companies in the U.S., as well as international financial offices. Bin Laden’s goal was to incur irreparable damage to the U.S. economy by destroying the Towers, which also symbolized the American ideals of liberty and human rights (Wright 176) The Towers stood as a symbol of American success and prosperity. According to the 9/11 Memorial, the Twin Towers were the “centerpieces of the World Trade Center [and] symbolized globalization and America’s economic power and prosperity” (Facts About 9/11). They were a symbol of business, freedom, power, finance, and the icon for New York