Who was the first American to travel into space?

The first American to travel into space was Alan Shepard, who made his historic flight on May 5, 1961, aboard the Freedom 7 spacecraft. This mission lasted approximately 15 minutes and reached an altitude of about 116 miles, marking a significant accomplishment in the early years of the U.S. space program. Shepard's flight demonstrated American capabilities in space exploration and contributed to the nation's efforts in the Cold War space race against the Soviet Union. His pioneering journey laid the groundwork for subsequent missions and inspired future astronauts.