The attacks of September 11, 2001, brought unprecedented attention to the problem of terrorism. Yet the threat of terrorist acts has long been a specter in the lives of millions, and the patterns and occurrences all too regular.

This chronology begins with President McKinley's assassination in September of 1901 and ends with the 9/11 attacks. It details terrorist events both well known and obscure, chosen as representative, decade by decade, of each particular period. A concluding chapter examines changing trends in methods of attack and the effectiveness of various movements.

Appendices include a list of notable terrorist organizations; international conventions governing terrorism; and the U.N. Security Council resolution passed after the September 11 attacks.