Three surveys were given to 90 college-aged youth: (1) to examine their experience of and reactions to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster on September 11, 2001; (2) to evaluate Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms following the event; and (3) to assess the youth's general political views. These youth living in New York City were substantially influenced by the event, and their response involved three types of fearfulness, including limited PTSD symptoms. Furthermore, their political views provided a frame through which they interpreted the disaster on September 11. For example, students concerned about issues reflecting a concern for self-preservation worried about continuing terrorism. However, the event also provided a frame for youth's political views in that it dramatically increased the salience of issues relevant to terrorism. Knowledge related neither to political views nor reactions to September 11 except that greater knowledge was related to less fearfulness. Research is needed on the development of youth's political views, and school-based civic education and civic-oriented youth programs should be attentive to the relationship between political views, knowledge, and behavior.