Final answer:
The correct answer is B) claim. Some historians claim that the tulip mania in 1637 was the first historical instance of an asset bubble, where investors drive prices to highs not supported by actual demand.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is B) claim.
Some historians claim that this 'tulip mania' was the first historical instance of an asset bubble. An asset bubble occurs when investors drive prices to highs not supported by actual demand. In the case of the tulip mania in 1637, the price of tulip bulbs in Amsterdam skyrocketed, with rare varieties selling for up to the equivalent of $200,000 in today's US dollars. This phenomenon is often used as an example to illustrate the concept of an asset bubble.