As you've seen in other Colonial literature, some of the words used regularly during Franklin's time are unfamiliar to modern readers. For example, you probably don't know that a "tallow-chandler" is a person who makes candles, but the term was an ordinary one in a time when all candles were made by hand. To understand Franklin's ideas and descriptions—as well as his wit—you'll need to make sure you understand the list of words below. Click each tab below the chart to learn and practice recalling the meaning of each word.
| tithe | quagmire |  |
| ingenuity | husbandry | |
| propriety | salubrity | |
| subsistence | accession | |
| posterity |
Make a Guess
Pick and Choose
Flash Forward
First, see if you already know some of the words in this lesson's list. Read each word below and guess what it means. (Say the meaning to yourself, or write it down.) Then, click the word to check your answer.
| tithe | an offering given to a church (usually money but, in this case, service) |
| quagmire | land with a soft, muddy surface |
| ingenuity | inventive skill or imagination; cleverness |
| husbandry | the breeding and raising of livestock |
| propriety | in this case, land owned as property—late Middle English propriete, "ownership, something owned" |
| salubrity | quality of health or well-being |
| subsistence | the act of maintaining life |
| accession | an increase by means of something added |
| posterity | a person's children, grandchildren, and other descendants |
How is each of these words used in the context of a story? Read each passage below. Then, select the word that belongs in the blank. Click the Lookup button if you're not sure what any word means.
Today, someone interested in livestock may take an online course to learn about animal ___________.
- husbandry
- propriety
- posterity
- tithe
the breeding and raising of livestock
in this case, land owned as property—late Middle English propriete, "ownership, something owned"
a person's children, grandchildren, and other descendants
an offering given to a church (usually money but, in this case, service)
Nice Job!
This word also may refer to agriculture in general.
In colonial North America, cheap land allowed people of modest incomes to leave farms to their ___________.
- ingenuity
- quagmire
- salubrity
- posterity
inventive skill or imagination; cleverness
land with a soft, muddy surface
quality of health or well-being
a person's children, grandchildren, and other descendants
Nice Job!
The Latin root of this word means "coming after."
During Colonial times, a hundred acres of American frontier land still could be bought cheaply. Most farmers could not afford such large ______ back in Europe.
- husbandry
- propriety
- posterity
- tithe
the breeding and raising of livestock
in this case, land owned as property—late Middle English propriete, "ownership, something owned"
a person's children, grandchildren, and other descendants
an offering given to a church (usually money but, in this case, service)
Nice Job!
Today, this word usually means "proper behavior," but Franklin uses it with a different, older meaning.
No one can deny the natural ___________ brought on by a day in the fresh air and sunshine.
- ingenuity
- quagmire
- salubrity
- posterity
inventive skill or imagination; cleverness
land with a soft, muddy surface
quality of health or well-being
a person's children, grandchildren, and other descendants
Nice Job!
This comes from a Latin word meaning "health."
Thanks to Officer Mendez's ___________ and quick thinking, we were able to rescue the stranded ducklings from the storm drain.
- ingenuity
- accession
- subsistence
- husbandry
inventive skill or imagination; cleverness
an increase by means of something added
the act of maintaining life
the breeding and raising of livestock
Nice Job!
As a clever inventor and skilled tradesperson, Benjamin Franklin unquestionably had this quality.
The requested ___________ for our church is one-tenth of one's income, but people give whatever they can afford.
- husbandry
- propriety
- posterity
- tithe
the breeding and raising of livestock
in this case, land owned as property—late Middle English propriete, "ownership, something owned"
a person's children, grandchildren, and other descendants
an offering given to a church (usually money but, in this case, service)
Nice Job!
Franklin received more schooling than his older brothers because his father intended to offer this in the form of a son trained for the clergy.
Trapped in the deep, sucking mud of a ___________, Maria had no choice but to leave her stuck boots behind.
- ingenuity
- quagmire
- salubrity
- posterity
inventive skill or imagination; cleverness
land with a soft, muddy surface
quality of health or well-being
a person's children, grandchildren, and other descendants
Nice Job!
This word may also refer to a difficult or unstable situation.
Lian hasn't yet achieved ___________ with the sale of her paintings, but she does make some extra money.
- propriety
- husbandry
- subsistence
- accession
in this case, land owned as property—late Middle English propriete, "ownership, something owned"
the breeding and raising of livestock
the act of maintaining life
an increase by means of something added
Nice Job!
You would have to have this before spending money on luxuries.
With the rapid ___________ of new residents, our neighborhood has grown noticeably in the past five years.
- accession
- propriety
- posterity
- tithe
an increase by means of something added
in this case, land owned as property—late Middle English propriete, "ownership, something owned"
a person's children, grandchildren, and other descendants
an offering given to a church (usually money but, in this case, service)
Nice Job!
This word also may mean "something acquired; an acquisition."
Summary
Questions answered correctly:
Questions answered incorrectly:
Think you have these words figured out? Try matching the description on each flashcard to one of the words in the box. Once you think you know the word that is described on each card, click the card to check your answer.
increase
accession
bog
quagmire
offering
tithe
descendants
posterity
survival
subsistence
something owned
propriety
cleverness
ingenuity
health
salubrity
raising of cattle
husbandry
Summary
Correct:
Incorrect:
| tithe | quagmire | ingenuity | husbandry | propriety |
| salubrity | subsistence | accession | posterity | |
