Question

Which of these best illustrates a strong claim?

A. The American colonists had an absolute right to declare independence from Great Britain.
B. The Declaration of Independence explained why the American colonists wanted to form their own government.
C. According to the Declaration of Independence, people have the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
D. It was right for the American colonists to declare independence because the British government did not support their interests.

Answer 1

The answer is D. It was right for the American colonists to declare independence because the British government did not support their interests.

Answer 2

D. It was right for the American colonists to declare independence because the British government did not support their interests.

This claim is the strongest because it answers a prompt at the beginning of the claim and also provides a reason for the answer.

A claim needs to answer a prompt and give a reason for the answer. In doing this, the writer provides the argument they are going to present in that paragraph. Evidence is then used to support the claim in an essay. When developing a full argumentative essay, at least two claims would be presented in the thesis statement.