Why you think historians settled upon this demarcation

Full Answer Section

      Second, 1765 was the year in which the Sons of Liberty, a secret society dedicated to opposing British rule, was founded. The Sons of Liberty played a leading role in many of the protests and boycotts that led up to the American Revolution. Third, 1765 was the year in which the first Continental Congress was held. The Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from the thirteen colonies that was convened to discuss how to respond to the British Stamp Act. The Continental Congress helped to coordinate the American resistance to British rule and paved the way for the American Revolution. The demarcation between the colonial and revolutionary eras of American history in 1765 persists to this day because it marks a significant turning point in American history. It was the year in which the American colonists began to seriously challenge British rule and to assert their independence. Other turning points in American history that historians have emphasized or should emphasize include:

• The American Revolution (1775-1783)
• The adoption of the Constitution (1787)
• The Louisiana Purchase (1803)
• The Missouri Compromise (1820)
• The Compromise of 1850
• The Civil War (1861-1865)
• The Reconstruction Era (1865-1877)
• The Gilded Age (1877-1900)
• The Progressive Era (1900-1920)
• The Great Depression (1929-1939)
• World War II (1941-1945)
• The Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968)
• The Vietnam War (1954-1975)
• The Watergate scandal (1972-1974)
• The Cold War (1947-1991)
• The September 11th attacks (2001)

These turning points have all had a significant impact on the course of American history. Historians should emphasize these turning points in their surveys of American history because they help to explain how the United States has become the country it is today. These other turning points could influence where new American history surveys begin and end. For example, a survey of American history that begins in 1765 and ends in 1865 would focus on the colonial and revolutionary eras, as well as the Civil War and Reconstruction. A survey of American history that begins in 1865 and ends in 2023 would focus on the post-Civil War era, including the Gilded Age, the Progressive Era, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, and the September 11th attacks. Ultimately, the decision of where to begin and end an American history survey is up to the individual historian. However, the turning points listed above are all important events in American history that should be considered by historians when designing their surveys.  

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.