Terrorism Final Study Guide

Port Huron Statement

A 1962 document written by Students for a Democratic Society that criticized government, racism, and war and called for participatory democracy; reflects early radical political activism.

Ruby Ridge

A 1992 standoff in Idaho between a family and federal agents that resulted in deaths and became a symbol of government overreach for extremist groups.

Waco

A 1993 siege in Texas between the Branch Davidians and federal agents that ended in a fire killing many people and fueled anti-government extremism.

Patriot Movement

A loose collection of anti-government groups that believe the federal government is corrupt and threatens individual freedoms.

Timothy McVeigh

The main perpetrator of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing; motivated by anti-government beliefs and events like Waco and Ruby Ridge.

Terry Nichols

An accomplice of Timothy McVeigh who helped plan and carry out the Oklahoma City bombing.

Michael Fortier

A friend of McVeigh who knew about the bombing plan and helped but did not directly carry it out; later testified against McVeigh.

The Turner Diaries

An extremist novel that promotes violent white supremacist ideas and inspired several domestic terrorists, including McVeigh.

1993 World Trade Center Bombing

A truck bombing in the parking garage of the World Trade Center that killed six people and showed the rise of Islamist terrorism in the U.S.

Ramzi Yousef

The main planner of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; later captured and imprisoned.

Osama Bin Laden

The founder and leader of al-Qaeda who organized terrorist attacks against the U.S., including 9/11.

Jihad

In extremist contexts, the use of violence claimed to be justified as a religious duty, though the term has broader meanings in Islam.

Al Qaeda (actions and key moments)

A global terrorist network responsible for major attacks including the 1998 embassy bombings and the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Mujahadeen

Fighters who participated in the Afghan war against the Soviet Union; some later joined extremist groups like al-Qaeda.

Taliban

An Islamist militant group that ruled Afghanistan and provided shelter to al-Qaeda before and after 9/11.