Here are some of the highlights from the year 2001:

• September 11 terrorist attacks: Four planes were hijacked by terrorists, leading to the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City and damage to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
• War in Afghanistan: The U.S. launches Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the 9/11 attacks, leading to the overthrow of the Taliban regime and the beginning of the War in Afghanistan.
• Wikipedia founded: The online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, was launched on January 15th.
• Apple unveils the first iPod: Apple introduces its first digital music player, the iPod, on October 23rd.
• Enron scandal: The energy company Enron is revealed to have engaged in widespread accounting fraud, leading to one of the largest corporate bankruptcies in U.S. history.
• Microsoft antitrust case: The U.S. government files an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft, alleging the company had engaged in anti-competitive business practices.
• First space tourist: American businessman Dennis Tito becomes the first tourist to travel to space, visiting the International Space Station as a paying customer.