Some other turning points in American history

Sample Solution

Historians have traditionally emphasized the following turning points in American history:

• The American Revolution (1775-1783)
• The Constitutional Convention (1787)
• The Louisiana Purchase (1803)
• The War of 1812 (1812-1815)
• The Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
• The Civil War (1861-1865)
• Reconstruction (1865-1877)
• The Gilded Age (1865-1900)
• The Progressive Era (1900-1920)
• World War I (1914-1918)
• The Great Depression (1929-1939)
• World War II (1939-1945)
• The Cold War (1947-1991)
• The 9/11 terrorist attacks (2001)

These events are all significant because they had a profound impact on the course of American history. They led to major changes in the country's political, economic, and social structure. In recent years, historians have begun to emphasize other turning points in American history that were previously overshadowed by the events listed above. Some of these turning points include:

• The expansion of slavery into the western territories in the 1850s
• The Reconstruction Amendments (1865-1870)
• The rise of the women's suffrage movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
• The Great Migration of African Americans from the South to the North in the early 20th century
• The New Deal (1933-1939)
• The Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968)
• The Vietnam War (1954-1975)
• The Watergate scandal (1972-1974)
• The Reagan Revolution (1980-1989)
• The rise of the internet and social media in the late 20th and early 21st centuries

These turning points are also significant because they had a major impact on the course of American history. They led to major changes in the country's political, economic, and social structure. The emphasis on these new turning points has led to calls for a change in the way that American history is taught. Some historians have argued that the traditional focus on the American Revolution and the Civil War is too narrow. They argue that it gives students an incomplete understanding of the country's history. Instead, they advocate for a more inclusive approach that emphasizes the experiences of all Americans, regardless of their race, gender, or class. They also argue that American history should be taught in a global context, to show how the country has been shaped by its interactions with the rest of the world. A change in the way that American history is taught would likely influence where new American history surveys begin and end. Currently, most American history surveys begin with the American Revolution and end with the present day. However, if historians begin to emphasize other turning points, such as the rise of the women's suffrage movement or the Civil Rights Movement, they may be more likely to start their surveys earlier or end them later. For example, a new American history survey that emphasizes the experiences of African Americans might begin with the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in North America in the 17th century. It might then cover the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Jim Crow era, and the Civil Rights Movement. It might end with the election of Barack Obama as the first African-American president of the United States in 2008. Another example is a new American history survey that emphasizes the role of women in American society. This survey might begin with the early women's suffrage movement in the 19th century. It might then cover the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s, and the election of Hillary Clinton as the first female presidential nominee of a major political party in 2016. These are just two examples of how a change in the emphasis of American history could influence where new American history surveys begin and end. Ultimately, it is up to historians to decide which turning points they believe are most important and how they want to teach American history to future generations. How might these other turning points influence where new American history surveys begin and end? The emphasis on new turning points in American history is likely to lead to a more inclusive and global approach to teaching the subject. This could result in