When Edward Lorenz published his paper in 1963 on the deterministic nonperiodic solutions present in what is now called the "Lorenz Equations," he did so in the context of a rich theory of nonlinear dynamics beginning with the work of Poincare. Here we trace the influences present in his work as well as provide a snapshot of the nonlinear world in 1963 to explain why his paper had such a pervasive effect on the science of nonlinear dynamics and its applications. In doing this, we also discover the critical timing of the development of the computer in this effort.