Question

Which piece of evidence from the article provides the BEST support for the idea that the Trojan War, or some kind of similar war, really happened?

(A) The site of Troy was discovered in the 1800s, in what is now western Turkey. Since then, archaeologists have uncovered evidence that it was the capital of a kingdom.
(B) After the Trojan defeat, the Greek heroes slowly made their way home. Odysseus took 10 years to make the difficult journey home to Ithaca as recounted in the "Odyssey."
(C) The "Aeneid" follows a group of Trojans led by the hero Aeneas. They leave their destroyed city, and after a series of adventures, they founded the city of Rome.
(D) Recent excavations have shown an inhabited area 10 times the size of the citadel. A layer of the excavation, dating to about 1180 B.C., reveals charred debris and scattered skeletons.

Answer 1

The strongest evidence supporting the idea of a historical basis for the Trojan War comes from archaeological find dating to around 1180 B.C. with charred debris and skeletons, directly suggesting a significant conflict.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best piece of evidence from the article that supports the idea that the Trojan War, or a similar war, really happened is (D) Recent excavations have shown an inhabited area 10 times the size of the citadel. A layer of the excavation, dating to about 1180 B.C., reveals charred debris and scattered skeletons. This evidence directly indicates a significant conflict that resulted in widespread damage and loss of life, which could correlate with the war described by Homer in the Iliad.

Options (A), (B), and (C) provide supportive context but do not offer definitive proof of a historic event comparable to the Trojan War. Option (A) merely establishes the location of Troy, while options (B) and (C) recount literary accounts of what occurred after the supposed war. These narratives, although valuable, are less persuasive without the tangible archaeological evidence provided in option (D).