American Indians used the Cumberland Gap to hunt and fish because the area was filled with streams and wildlife. explore the southern Mississippi River Valley. attack settlers as they moved West across the Gap. move through the Appalachians before Europeans arrived.

After the success of the sputnik launch, the united states feared that they would never be able to launch their own satellite, the ussr had used technology developed by the united states, the soviets had superior nuclear capabilities, that any future us satellites would not be as successful.