Why did Sputnik concern Americans?A) Sputnik showed that the Soviets had surpassed the U.S. in technical skill.B) Sputnik could spy on the U.S.C)...

Your best answer is A.  The United States and the Soviets
were engaged in something of a "space race" as an ancillary to the Cold War. Both sides
knew that the first nation to successfully launch an "earth satellite," as it was
called, would probably be the first to use it for offensive purposes against the other.
The Soviets were always quite secretive about their plans and projects, so the U.S. was
shocked when on October 4, 1957, the Soviets announced the launch of Sputnik I. If the
Soviets could launch a satellite, they could build a missile which would reach the U.S.
As a result of Sputnik, defense spending was greatly increased, and a renewed emphasis
on science and mathematics commenced in American schools. It was because of Sputnik that
NASA was created.