Question 3 • *FL-2100310-United States History Semester 1
Read the thesis statement from an argumentative essay about former US president Richard Nixon.President Nixon disgraced the US presidency through his involvement in the Watergate Scandal. This marks him as history’s worst president. Which of the following is a counterclaim that the essay’s writer might address?
Answer
A
It was under Nixon’s leadership that the Vietnam War ended.
B
Nixon was the thirty-seventh president of the United States.
C
Nixon resigned the presidency because he was about to be impeached.
D
The Watergate Scandal created a strong national distrust of the government.
Explanation
A counterclaim presents a point that challenges the thesis that Nixon was history’s worst president. The fact that the Vietnam War ended under Nixon’s leadership could be used to argue that he had a positive accomplishment despite Watergate. The other choices give background information or reinforce the criticism of Nixon rather than challenge it.
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