WHAT WAS HAPPENINGThe Cold War was a developed rivalry between the United States and the Soviet union that lasted for decades, leading to the causes of the Space Race. During the 1950s and 1960s the Soviet Union dominated in the Space Race and kept setting new milestones, while America struggled to keep up. The moon landing proved to the Soviet Union and other countries that America was bigger competition than everyone thought. Lastly, this was a turning point because it led to many advances in technologies that are still used today.
(by New York Times. Public Domain) |
Pictured: President John F. Kennedy: 'We choose to go to the moon' Sep 12th, 1961 (by New York Times. Public Domain)
TIMELINE
October 4th, 1957 |
Soviet Union sends Sputnik I, first satellite into space
This was bad news because it worried America to think that if Russia could launch satellites into space, then they could launch nuclear missiles too. The possibility of a nuclear warhead loomed in America made gathering intelligence about the Soviets military practice increasingly urgent. In America, space was seen as the next frontier, a logical extension of the grand American tradition of exploration, which made it even more crucial not to lose ground to the Soviets. |
January 31st, 1958 |
The United States launched their own satellite known as Explorer I and the Space Race was underway.
The United States was in the Cold War era, and the Soviet Union was already beating the United States to space, and while a major front during this war was space. This speech and goal were largely supported by the American People. This same year President Dwight Eisenhower signed a public order to make NASA a federal agency dedicated space exploration. |
January 20th, 1961 |
John F. Kennedy inaugurated into presidency
|
April 12th, 1961 |
Yuri Gagarin from Soviet Union is the first man to orbit the earth.
This meant that the Russians were still way ahead in the so-called ‘Race’. |
September 12th, 1961 |
John F Kennedy Speech ‘We Choose to go to the Moon’
This speech is about the quest to put a man on the moon stating “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard," he said to a cheering crowd. If America accomplished their goal of getting a man on the moon, then they believed that would make them the winners of the ‘Space Race’. |
June 16th, 1963 |
Soviet Union launches first woman into space.
Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to travel into space. After 48 orbits and 71 hours, she returned to earth, having spent more time in space than all U.S. astronauts combined to that date. |
January 27th, 1967 |
First Apollo mission launched, killing all three of the astronauts sent on mission.
|
July 20th, 1969 |
Aldrin and Armstrong land on the moon on mission Apollo 11.
The Moon Landing was the turning point for Americans; it was the time where America was thought of as real competition in the Cold War, technology advanced, and mindsets of Americans changed. This achieved the goal that President John F. Kennedy had set in his speech in 1961, before Americans had even orbited the Earth. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin explored the area around their lunar landing site for more than two hours, collected soil and rock samples, set up experiments, planted an American flag, and left behind medallions honoring the Apollo 1 crew and a plaque saying, “We came in peace for all mankind.” |
NOTABLE MOMENTS
July 24th, 1969
In this photo:
On July 24th, President Richard Nixon welcomes the quarantined Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin, aboard the U.S.S. Hornet after the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing mission. NASA. July 24th, 1969. Public Domain.
On July 24th, President Richard Nixon welcomes the quarantined Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin, aboard the U.S.S. Hornet after the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing mission. NASA. July 24th, 1969. Public Domain.
References
History.com Editors. (2009, October 27). Cold War History. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history
History.com Editors. (2010, February 22). The Space Race. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/space-race#section_1
President John F. Kennedy: 'We choose to go to the moon'. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/national/president-john-f-kennedys-we-choose-to-go-to-the-moon-speech/2017/10/09/881ac76e-ad1d-11e7-9b93-b97043e57a22_video.html
Wall, M. (2012, September 12). JFK's 'Moon Speech' Still Resonates 50 Years Later. Retrieved from https://www.space.com/17547-jfk-moon-speech-50years-anniversary.html
19 Events of the All but Forgotten American Intervention in the Russian Civil War. (2019, February 9). Retrieved from https://historycollection.co/19-events-of-the-all-but-forgotten-american-intervention-in-the-russian-civil-war/
History.com Editors. (2010, February 22). The Space Race. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/space-race#section_1
President John F. Kennedy: 'We choose to go to the moon'. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/national/president-john-f-kennedys-we-choose-to-go-to-the-moon-speech/2017/10/09/881ac76e-ad1d-11e7-9b93-b97043e57a22_video.html
Wall, M. (2012, September 12). JFK's 'Moon Speech' Still Resonates 50 Years Later. Retrieved from https://www.space.com/17547-jfk-moon-speech-50years-anniversary.html
19 Events of the All but Forgotten American Intervention in the Russian Civil War. (2019, February 9). Retrieved from https://historycollection.co/19-events-of-the-all-but-forgotten-american-intervention-in-the-russian-civil-war/