“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do other things, not because they are easy, but because they are difficult” (Kennedy). When John F. Kennedy uttered these famous words, he paved the way for one of the greatest achievements ever achieved by the United States of America. During this decade, the space race will be in full swing; a universal goal would unite the nation to realize the dream of sending a man to the Moon and returning safely to Earth. Through human determination, the United States has made enough scientific breakthroughs to change events on planet Earth. In a decade, this nation has been able to prove that everything is no longer a limit. How was the United States able to effectively accomplish such a colossal task, and what was its global significance at the time? Why go to the Moon? As important as the trip to the Moon is, its precise purpose is not immediately clear. Nonetheless, it is a remarkable achievement for humanity, and the United States wants to take the lead in making it happen. Millions of people watched the televised event because they knew it was an incredible advancement for humans (Redd). As Neil Armstrong took the first step, he summed up that this event would forever be a significant achievement for the human race: “That is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” (Armstrong 268). Sometimes it may seem that the development of new technologies has stalled, but the moon landing proves that man continues to progress. Only 66 years passed between the Wright brothers' first plane and the moon landing (Stimson). At the time of the Space Race, the United States was in the middle of the Cold War against the Soviet Union. Even at the beginning of...... middle of paper ......4.Redd, Nola T. "Apollo 11: First men on the Moon." Espace.com. TechMedia Network, July 25, 2012. Web. April 2, 2014.Saran, Cliff. “Apollo 11: The computers that put man on the Moon.” Apollo 11: The computers that put man on the Moon. TechTarget. Internet. May 16, 2014. Stimson, Richard. “Tribute to the Wright Brothers at Woodland Cemetery.” Wright Stories The Wright Brothers Invent the Airplane History of Flight Kitty Hawk Wright Contemporaries Military Aircraft RSS. Wright Stories, and Web. May 13, 2014. United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Apollo 11: preliminary scientific report. By JM West, PR Bell, AJ Calio, JW Harris, HH Schmitt, SH Simpkinson, WK Stephenson and DG Wiseman. Springfield: Federal Science and Technology Clearinghouse, nd NASA. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Internet. April 2. 2014.