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Preemption Act

(Encyclopedia)Preemption Act, statute passed (1841) by the U.S. Congress in response to the demands of the Western states that squatters be allowed to preempt lands. Pioneers often settled on public lands before th...

Schenck, Robert Cumming

(Encyclopedia)Schenck, Robert Cumming skĕngk [key], 1809–90, American politician and diplomat, Union general in the Civil War, b. Franklin, Ohio. He studied law and practiced in Dayton. Schenck was a Whig in Con...

De Maria, Walter Joseph

(Encyclopedia)De Maria, Walter Joseph, 1935–2013, American sculptor, b. Albany, Calif. From the late 1950s into the 60s De Maria partcipated in “Happenings,” created Dada-influenced minimalist sculptures, and...

Alfieri, Vittorio, Conte

(Encyclopedia)Alfieri, Vittorio, Conte vēt-tōˈrēō kōnˈtā älfyĕˈrē [key], 1749–1803, Italian tragic poet. A Piedmontese, born to wealth and social position, he spent his youth in dissipation and advent...

Spofford, Ainsworth Rand

(Encyclopedia)Spofford, Ainsworth Rand spŏfˈərd [key], 1825–1908, librarian of Congress of the United States, b. Belknap co., N.H. In 1861 he became chief assistant librarian of Congress and was appointed libr...

Sherman Silver Purchase Act

(Encyclopedia)Sherman Silver Purchase Act, 1890, passed by the U.S. Congress to supplant the Bland-Allison Act of 1878. It not only required the U.S. government to purchase nearly twice as much silver as before, bu...

Poindexter, George

(Encyclopedia)Poindexter, George poinˈdĕkˌstər [key], 1779–1853, American political leader, b. Louisa co., Va. After practicing law in Virginia, he moved (1802) to Mississippi. As attorney general of Mississi...

Sagasti Hochausler, Francisco Rafael

(Encyclopedia)Sagasti Hochausler, Francisco Rafael, 1944–, Peruvian political leader. An industrial engineer by training, he has served as an adviser to Peruvian governments and as a government official, and has ...

Hunt, Gaillard

(Encyclopedia)Hunt, Gaillard gĭlyärdˈ [key], 1862–1924, American historian and editor, b. New Orleans. He served (1887–1909, 1917–24) the Dept. of State in various capacities, his most important work being...

Ford, Worthington Chauncey

(Encyclopedia)Ford, Worthington Chauncey, 1858–1941, American historian and editor, b. Brooklyn, N.Y. He was joint editor, with his brother Paul Leicester Ford, of Winnowings in American History (15 vol., 1890–...