In October 1957, the Soviet Union launched the world’s first satellite and called it an achievement “of the new socialist society.” Americans called Sputnik one high-flying reason to polish up the science and math skills of the nation’s youth.

“It got America pretty shook up that the Soviets were winning,” said George DeBoer, a deputy director at D.C.-based American Association for the Advancement of Science and the author of “A History of Ideas in Science Education.”