What year did TERRORISM start?

[Proud2BAmurkin]

Give your best estimation of the date of the first use of "terrorism" by one individual/group against another.

Then give your best estimation when "terrorism" within the human race will end. That is, when we can declare "victory" in the "war on terror" like the idiots and buffoons in the current administration now say will occur.

[baldguy]

1. When did Cain kill Abel?

[valerief]

2. When did religion start? nt

[donco6]

13. I'd say that's close enough. eom

[BlooInBloo]

21. I like the way you think - even if it's not actually historically correct....

... But maybe it is.

[Ediacara]

3. Five million years ago, at least

Chimps seem to engage in what looks a lot like terrorism, so I imagine it's a common trait in chimps and humans.

[kestrel91316]

4. It started September 11, 2001, silly.

And that's "terra", not "terrorism". There's no such word as "terrorism".

[SammyWinstonJack]

30. 12/12/00

[Squatch]

5. 3 Billion years ago

When God smote the first amino acid. Smoted him good, I tells ya.

[John Gauger]

15. That's funny.

I laughed. Thanks for that.

[Montauk6]

6. The Reconstruction era in the Ol' South? (Caution on the images included)

Donning sheets/robes to put them "up'ty nigras" in their place. I'll guess circa 1867?





But I guess the more common term was vigilante, which brings up yer garden-variety lynch mobs.


Yep, terrorism... made in the Good Ol' USA!

[neilepi]

7. Here's a good article which provides a historical perspective

THE CRIMINOLOGY OF TERRORISM: HISTORY, LAW, DEFINITIONS, TYPOLOGIES "One man willing to throw his life away is enough to terrorize thousands." (Wu Ch'i)

"Terrorism has been around as a major nuisance to governments as long as recorded history. The Bible advocates terror, assassination, and annihilation in several places (see the book of Numbers and book of Joshua). Regicide, or the killing of kings by rivals, and the brutal suppression of loyalists afterwards, has been an established pattern of political ascent since Julius Caesar (44 B.C.). The Zealots in Israel (100 A.D.) fought Roman occupation with hit-and-run tactics in public places. The Assassins in Iraq (1100 A.D.) fought the Christian Crusaders with suicide tactics."


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[NewJeffCT]

17. good article

I was going to mention the Zealots.

The word "assassin" actually comes from "the assassins" in Iraq, or "hashishin" - the guys actually got hopped up on hash before performing their terrorism.

[Esra Star]

8. Wasn't it when King George the Third nominated George

Washington as a terrorist?

[Captain Hilts]

9. Russell Baker tied the beginning of terrorism to the death of Spencer Tracy.

The article was entitled, "Missing Spencer Tracy."

Here t'is part of it:

In a world that had Spencer Tracy in it, Al Pacino would never have made such a blood-soaked mess as ''Scarface.'' The impulse might have come on him hard, but when it did, Al Pacino would have fought it off after asking himself, ''What would Spencer Tracy think of me if I made a movie like that?'' A lot of us often felt like making disgusting scenes in public in Spencer Tracy's day, but a lot of us didn't do it. Why Not? For the same reason John McEnroe wouldn't have done it. ''Much as I'd like to let off steam by carrying on like a lout,'' we said to ourselves, ''I can't bear the thought of what Spencer Tracy would say if he heard about it.'' I seriously doubt the world is going to be a bit nicer than it is right now unless somebody figures out how to replace Spencer Tracy. Communism could disappear from the earth tomorrow morning and overwrought zealots would still continue butchering each other, including the women and children, as long as there is no Spencer Tracy. I don't say Spencer Tracy could put an end to all terrorism, jingoistic slaughter and high-minded romps in the gore. He couldn't. What he would do, though, is reduce the quantity by destroying the fancy social cachet such activities have acquired since he left. Imagine a typically ardent youth in a fever to blow up a hundred innocent people for a grand cause.

Nowadays the thing gives him a certain social distinction, for certain people are sure to say that he did it to make the world a nicer place. If Spencer Tracy were here, this aspiring hero and social climber would think twice.

''It's truly a grand old cause for which I want to blow up these hundred people,'' he would say to himself, ''but I can't bear to think of the disgusted expression on Spencer Tracy's face if he hears there were women and children among them.''

[Proud2BAmurkin]

18. Huh! Whoda thunk

Makes sense to me

[sallyseven]

10. In 1850's a cart went in front of the JP Morgan

building downtown New York. It had nails and gun powder in it and when it went off it killed hundreds of people and there are still marks in the building today where the nails went into it. American's did it.

[AnnieBW]

11. At Least With the Maccabees

The Maccabees could be considered some of the original religious terrorists... er... "freedom fighters", if you read their accounts the right way.

[John Gauger]

12. I don't know,

but it goes back a while. November 5, 1605: Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up the entire British government at once, King, Parliament, and all. He wanted to install a government more friendly to Ireland. Someone ratted him out though. He was the fall guy.

Of course, it will never end. There will alway be terrorism. All we can do is guard against it as best we can. And certainly we cannot live in eternal fear.

[boolean]

14. Trojan horse (nm)

[Alacrat]

16. Munich, during the olympics?

Thats the first time I remember terrorist type tactics being used, I'm sure there are earlier instances, but that is the first one I can identify as an actual terra attack.

[XemaSab]

19. Wide-scale?

Alexander the Great? Genghis Kahn? Sargon? :shrug:

[StellaBlue]

20. Here? 1492.

nt

[Make7]

22. It's all Clinton's fault - therefore it must have started on February 26, 1993.

I believe it will end January 19, 2009 - George W. Bush will declare "Mission Accomplished" on his last full day in office.

Of course the terrorist insurgency may last as long as there are two or more humans on the planet, but that wouldn't technically part of the "War on Terror" - just a bunch of dead-enders.

:) Make7

[alfredo]

23. When "Angel of Death" killed all the first born in Egypt.

[Jcrowley]

24. Tourism? That's easy.

[raysr]

25. In this country it was 1492!

[LynnTheDem]

29. Someone knows their American history.

Only when WE do it, it isn't called "terrorism".

Funny how that works.

[Swamp Rat]

26. 'Terrorism' began when we became human and will end when we are extinct.

[StraightDope]

27. Terrorism started when...

The first Australopithecus waved a rock or a stick around and started bashing his fellow proto-hominids.

[NuttyFluffers]

28. we must limit it with humans?

oh, OK. because one could say any organism that gathers in groups have power dynamics that often can be construed as "terrorism." when the first fungi colonies waged chemical warfare against bacteria? competing ant colonies? hell, just watch meerkat manor and watch how competing packs harass each other with raiding parties for territorial supremacy. competition, as well as cooperation, is deeply embedded into the fabric of life.

so... i guess the war on terrorism would end with a successful nuclear holocaust, global warming, and environmental poisoning of products and chemicals with ridiculously long decomposition periods. or, in other words, all we need is to keep walking down the road we're going on.

[izzybeans]

31. It was in the year of Our Lord 3 Brazilian years ago.

I think that means it was 3,000,000,000 BFBFEE