I think one way or another,

我想无论如何
people were evaluating what was happening.

人们都在权衡当时形势
People were thinking about

人们在考虑
what they thought the proper course

他们所认为的合适的
of action should be and then making individual choices

行动方针该是怎样然后做出自己的决定
for any number of reasons, some of them ideological,

决定的根据很多部分是意识形态原因
some of them personal, having to do with your family,

部分是个人原因或与家庭有关
having to do with your livelihood,

或有关生计
having to do with your safety and security.

或与自身安全有关
So one way or another,

无论如何
making this decision was kind of an extreme act.

做这种决定是相当极端的行为
And the period that we're now at in this course--1774,1775

这节课所讲时期...1774到1775年