Why you think historians settled upon this demarcation
Discuss why you think historians settled upon this demarcation and why it persists to this day. What are some other turning points in American history that historians have emphasized or should emphasize? How might these other turning points influence where new American history surveys begin and end?
Sample Answer
Historians settled upon the year 1765 as the demarcation between the colonial and revolutionary eras of American history for a number of reasons.
First, 1765 was the year in which the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, the first direct tax on the American colonists. This act was widely unpopular among the colonists and sparked a wave of protests and demonstrations. The Stamp Act was eventually repealed, but it helped to galvanize the American opposition to British rule.