Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Winthrop, John, 1714–79, American scientist

(Encyclopedia)Winthrop, John, 1714–79, American scientist, b. Boston, Mass., grad. Harvard, 1732. Because of his study of earthquakes, he is sometimes called the founder of seismology. He made scientific observat...

Trumbull, John , American painter

(Encyclopedia)Trumbull, John, 1756–1843, American painter, b. Lebanon, Conn.; son of Gov. Jonathan Trumbull. He served in the Continental Army early in the Revolution as an aide to Washington. He resigned his com...

American party

(Encyclopedia)American party: see Know-Nothing movement. ...

American Revolution

(Encyclopedia)American Revolution, 1775–83, struggle by which the Thirteen Colonies on the Atlantic seaboard of North America won independence from Great Britain and became the United States. It is also called th...

American Samoa

(Encyclopedia)American Samoa, officially Territory of American Samoa, unincorporated territory of the United States (2015 est. pop. 56,000), comprising the eastern half of the Samoa island chain in the South Pacifi...

American University

(Encyclopedia)American University, at Washington, D.C.; United Methodist; founded by Bishop J. F. Hurst, chartered 1893, opened in 1914. It was at first a graduate school; an undergraduate college was opened in 192...

American foxhound

(Encyclopedia)American foxhound, breed of sturdy, medium-sized hound developed in America over 300 years ago. It stands about 23 in. (58 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs between 60 and 70 lb (27–32 kg). The sm...

American Indians

(Encyclopedia)American Indians: see Americas, antiquity and prehistory of the; Natives, Middle American; Natives, North American; Natives, South American. ...

American Legion

(Encyclopedia)American Legion, national association of male and female war veterans, founded (1919) in Paris. Membership is open to veterans of World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The preamble...

Indians, American

(Encyclopedia)Indians, American: see Americas, antiquity and prehistory of the; Natives, Middle American; Natives, North American; Natives, South American. ...

Browse by Subject