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 trying to appear more important or intelligent than one is, which doesn't fit the context of describing merchants who were likely successful in business.
• "Prosperous" means successful in material terms; flourishing financially. Since John Hancock was the richest man in New England and they were merchants, "prosperous" makes sense as it implies financial success.

Answer:

prosperous