The document discusses the Cold War era in the United States and the technological developments that resulted from it. It describes how the launch of Sputnik by the USSR in 1957 sparked fears in America and a space race between the two nations. This led to advances in space technology through NASA and the development of communication systems and military technology in an arms race. The Cold War era saw some of the biggest technological changes to American society as new innovations emerged from efforts to outcompete the Soviet Union.