Before its destruction in the attacks on September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center in New York consisted of two of the world's most recognizable buildings, representing the strength and wealth of New York City in particular and the United States in general. That was the goal all along for philanthropist David Rockefeller, who had largely self-financed the development of One Chase Manhattan Plaza in the late 1950s in the hopes that the 70 story skyscraper would help spur further development nearby. Rockefeller envisioned Lower Manhattan as the site of a global financial center, full of stock exchanges, brokerages, investment banks, law firms, and other financial businesses.

The name World Trade Center, when spoken by an American, tends to conjure up the best and worst about the nation. The idea for such a financial center was conceived of in the heady days of post-World War II prosperity, when the nation's financial prospects had never looked better and Americans were trading all over the world with both former allies and enemies. At the same time, many in New York City, one of the jewels of the East Coast, had fallen on hard times, and it was hoped that the World Trade Center would revitalize Lower Manhattan and bring the Big Apple a bigger share of the prosperity the world was enjoying. Likewise, the center was designed by men steeped in the modern era, when architects could build skyscrapers as opposed to simple office complexes.

As it would turn out, by the time construction on the buildings began, there were ominous clouds in the political and financial skies. The prosperity that had inspired its construction had given way to a financial malaise unlike any seen since the Great Depression, and many people were offended that money that could have gone to social programs was being used to build more office space. There was also political unrest, as many criticized the country's involvement in Vietnam. By the time the Twin Towers and the rest of the World Trade Center were completed, the project was considered by many to be not only a symbol of American prosperity but also another sign of capitalist greed.

For 30 years, the Twin Towers were the most dramatic features of the New York skyline, and for a short while one of the towers could boast of being the tallest building in the world. People came from around the world to visit them for both business and pleasure, and while most days were busy but uneventful, there were exceptions. A stunt seemingly featuring a man dancing in the sky humanized and popularized the buildings, and they began to prosper, just as the nation itself would rise again out of the mire of the 1970s. Almost as quickly, a fire threatened the North Tower in 1975. In 1977, a man decided to scale the side of the South Tower, and in 1983, a fireman completed a stunt designed to warn people about the impossibility of evacuating everyone in case of emergency.