Question:
Which of the following is most strongly supported by the discovery of southwest British tin in shipwrecks near Israel (1300 BC) and France (600 BC)?
Which of the following is most strongly supported by the discovery of southwest British tin in shipwrecks near Israel (1300 BC) and France (600 BC)?
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In boldface questions, first identify the main conclusion of the argument. Then, determine the relationship of each boldfaced statement to that conclusion. Is it evidence for the conclusion? Is it the conclusion itself? Is it an opposing viewpoint? Is it a consideration that the author must address?
Updated On: Sep 30, 2025
- Mediterranean societies exclusively relied on British tin after 1300 BC.
- Long-distance tin trade networks persisted for centuries.
- French traders replaced Mediterranean merchants as intermediaries by 600 BC.
- Tin from Cornwall was of higher quality than central Asian alternatives.
- The sourcing of tin shifted considerably after 1300 BC.
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept
This is a "Must Be True" / "Strongly Supported" question. The answer must be a direct, logical conclusion drawn from the given facts alone, with minimal outside assumption.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation
The given facts are: 1. British tin was found in a shipwreck near Israel from 1300 BC. 2. British tin was found in a shipwreck near France from 600 BC. What can we conclude from these two data points?
The time span between the two finds is \(1300 - 600 = 700\) years.
In both cases, tin from a distant location (Britain) was being transported in the Mediterranean region.
Let's analyze the options:
(A) "Exclusively relied" is too strong. The finds don't prove other sources weren't used.
(C), (D), (E) These options make specific claims about traders, quality, or shifts in sourcing that cannot be proven by these two discoveries alone. We don't know who the traders were, why the tin was chosen, or what other sources were used.
(B) This statement is directly supported. The fact that British tin was part of a long-distance trade network at two points in time separated by 700 years is strong evidence that these networks were not a brief phenomenon but "persisted for centuries."
Step 3: Final Answer
Option (B) is the most reasonable and well-supported conclusion that can be drawn from the two specific pieces of evidence provided.
This is a "Must Be True" / "Strongly Supported" question. The answer must be a direct, logical conclusion drawn from the given facts alone, with minimal outside assumption.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation
The given facts are: 1. British tin was found in a shipwreck near Israel from 1300 BC. 2. British tin was found in a shipwreck near France from 600 BC. What can we conclude from these two data points?
The time span between the two finds is \(1300 - 600 = 700\) years.
In both cases, tin from a distant location (Britain) was being transported in the Mediterranean region.
Let's analyze the options:
(A) "Exclusively relied" is too strong. The finds don't prove other sources weren't used.
(C), (D), (E) These options make specific claims about traders, quality, or shifts in sourcing that cannot be proven by these two discoveries alone. We don't know who the traders were, why the tin was chosen, or what other sources were used.
(B) This statement is directly supported. The fact that British tin was part of a long-distance trade network at two points in time separated by 700 years is strong evidence that these networks were not a brief phenomenon but "persisted for centuries."
Step 3: Final Answer
Option (B) is the most reasonable and well-supported conclusion that can be drawn from the two specific pieces of evidence provided.
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