Late into the evening on September 11, the U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens was killed during an attack on the American consulate in Benghazi.
The identity and motivations of the attackers remain unclear, though White House officials said militants with ties to terrorist organization al-Qaida may have used protests against an anti-Islam film as a diversion.
Three other Americans died alongside the ambassador, including Sean Smith, a Foreign Service officer.
The President and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton strongly condemned the violence, and remembered Stevens as a charismatic diplomat who was passionate about his position and helped build ties with the people of Libya.
Libyan leaders called the attacks "cowardly", and appealed to the world to help them stop similar acts in the future.
American embassies in Egypt and now Yemen were also attacked after Egyptian media showed Internet clips of a film titled "The Innocence of Muslims" that crudely defamed the Prophet Mohammed.
Some leaders in the Middle East have condemned the message of the inflammatory film, but not the attack on the U.S. Embassy.
Quotes
"This was an attack by a small and savage group, not the people or government of Libya." - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Warm Up Questions
1. Where is Libya?
2. What is the role of an ambassador?
3. What tragic events unfolded at the U.S. Embassy in Libya?
Discussion Questions
1. What is Islam? Who was the Prophet Mohammed?
2. What do you know about "The Innocence of Muslims" and how is this internet film connected to the tragic events that unfolded in Libya?
3. Why do you think some Muslims reacted the way they did to the film?
Additional Resources
Libya Holds First Free Elections in 60 Years
