Vocabulary Words

Antoine Bienvenue

1. flock (v.)--come together in large numbers.

2. queerest assortment of creatures--strangest or most unusual variety of animals or people.

3. knocking (v.)--banging, hitting.

4. responsibilities (n.)--duties, things you are expected to do.

Ambroise Moreau

1. produced (v.)--made or grew something.

2. surplus (adj.)--more than needed, extra.

3. livres (n.)--way to measure the worth of goods in colonial Illinois, like we use dollars.

4. Illinois records (n.)--books and papers, where the French people noted births and deaths, as well as the sale of goods, land and services.

5. arpent(s) (n.)--way to measure the size of a piece of land, like we use acres.

• The linear arpent was used to measure long strips of farm land and was equal to almost the length of a football field. All the fields extended from the river to the hills which were almost half a mile away.
• The square arpent was used to measure home lots and was equal to .85 acres.

6. settlement (n.)--town or village.

7. to be auctioned off (v.)--to be sold at a public sale to the highest bidder.

8. estate sale (n.)--the sale of things owned by a person after he or she has died.

9. household goods (n.)--furniture, dishes, and other things found in a house.

Ollivier Daniel

10. hazardous (adj.)--dangerous.

11. census (n.)--a count of how many people are living in an area--sometimes by their age, sex, and occupation.

13. notary (n.)--a government worker who can stamp or sign papers to show they are legal and real.

14. witnesses (n.)--people who watch the signing of papers and can later say that the people signing the papers agreed.

15. wages (n.)--money paid for work done.

16. made his mark--wrote his name or a x if he or could not write.

17. contract (n.)--a written agreement between two or more people.

Nicholas Chassin

1. keeper of provisions (n.)--person in charge of the food and supplies for the royal army.

2. livres (n.)--way to measure the worth of goods and services in colonial Illinois, like we use dollars.

3. notary (n.)--a government worker who can stamp or sign papers to show they are legal and real.

4. judge (n.)--a person who listens to problems between people and decides how to settle them in a court of law.

5. distressed (adj.)--upset, unhappy.

6. confessed (v.)--said what is on your mind, especially something you didn't want to admit.

7. to make a strong establishment--to build a home for oneself, to be settled in an area.

8. to have an appearance of virtue--to look honest and good.

9. obliged (v.)--to owe someone for a favor.

10. to give evidence of gratitude--to show thanks.

11. are bombarded (v.)--get lots of something--in this story many offers of marriage.

Marie Rouensa

1. heathen ways (n.)--beliefs, customs or ways of living that are not familiar or respected by someone of a different religion--in this story--the beliefs of the Illinois Indians who did not believe in Christianity.

2. forebearers (n.)--ancestors, people of your family or group who have lived and died before you--like great grandparents.

3. renouncing (v.)--saying you don't believe something anymore.

4. heritage (n.)--tradition or way of life handed down from the people in your family or community who lived before you.

5.estate was inventoried (v.)--everything owned was written down in a list.

Father Meurin

1. Jesuits (n.)--a group of Catholic priests.

2. to disband (v.)--to break up a group.

3. to be demolished (v.)--to be torn down.

4. missionary (n.)--a person sent out by the church to preach and bring in new members to a religion.

5. holdings (n.)--land, buildings, and things owned by a group or person.

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© Illinois State Museum 31-Dec-96