Question

complete the sentence with the word that best fits the overall meaning and tone.
many of the men who signed the declaration of independence were
merchants, including john hancock, who was the richest man in new england.
pretentious
prosperous

Explanation:

"Pretentious" means having or showing an exaggerated opinion of one's own importance or abilities, which does not fit the context of describing merchants. "Prosperous" means successful in material terms; flourishing financially. Since John Hancock was the richest man in New England and they were merchants, "prosperous" is a better fit as it implies financial success.

Answer:

prosperous