Sputnik was the first satellite launched into space and was created by the Soviet Union. Launching this satellite into space terrified American citizens, as they were worried that the Soviet Union was more technologically advanced and they were worried about what they might do with the new technology.
In order to compete with the Soviet Union, American citizens demanded a bigger emphasis in American schools on the field of science, math, and engineering. American citizens realized that making new advancements in this field would help America to remain a global superpower. The launching of Sputnik and the constant competition between the US and Soviet Union after this point would be known in American history as the "Space Age." This was when the US and Soviet competed over scientific and space related accomplishments.
