<p>Essay Prompt: Do people have to be highly competitive to succeed?</p>
<p>Before the 1940's, space travel was considered no more than a pipe dream by many. Nobody knew what lay beyond the Earth's gaseous film, much less how to get there.</p>
<p>Fast forward to the end of world war two, and a new country has risen to power: the Soviet Union. It was a socialist state that stood in stark contrast to the American ideals of democracy and free enterprise, and threatened to spread its influence across the world.</p>
<p>The Soviet Union was well poised to challenge America, and in the 1950's, its rocket program under Sergey Koryolev, would send Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin up into space while sending the notion of American superiority crashing down to Earth.</p>
<p>Budget-wise, the American leadership knew it was impractical to challenge the Soviets on that front, but recent events struck a chord with many Americans, and so the space race began.</p>
<p>In the next 10 years, America openly opposed the Soviets on just about everything, from basketball to nuclear submarines, as it sought to regain its place as the world's greatest power. Money was poured into science, technology, education and the military with little of the complaining you would see today.</p>
<p>Soon, it would bear fruit with the landing of Neil Armstrong on the moon. American pride was restored, and space travel, recently unthinkable, was now reality, but none of it would have happened if the Soviets did not challenge American supremacy and begin the space race.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance to all those who will grade this!</p>
<p>Just a number (1-6) will do!</p>