Understanding Terrorism: What is Terrorism?

Terrorism is when people do scary things to make others feel afraid and worry.

Imagine you're playing hide-and-seek at school, and instead of just hiding, your friend jumps out from behind the couch and yells “BOO!” really loudly. That’s a little bit like terrorism, it surprises you and makes you jump!

Sometimes, people do big scary things, like setting off loud explosions or causing chaos in busy places. These are like the biggest “BOO” ever, happening in front of lots of kids at once.

Terrorism isn’t just about being loud or surprising, it’s also about making others feel that something bad might happen again, so they stay worried and watchful.

People use terrorism to send a message. It's like when you draw on the classroom wall with marker to show everyone how angry you are. Terrorists do scary things to let people know they’re upset or want something, and sometimes, it helps them get what they want.