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Clemens, Roger

(Encyclopedia)Clemens, Roger (William Roger Clemens) klĕmˈənz [key], 1962–, American baseball player, b. Dayton, Ohio. Noted for his competitive fire and nicknamed “Roger the Rocket,” Clemens became one of...

pentathlon

(Encyclopedia)pentathlon pĕntăthˈlən [key], composite athletic event. In ancient Greece it comprised leaping, foot racing, wrestling, discus throwing, and casting the javelin. The modern pentathlon, an Olympic ...

Benedict XIV

(Encyclopedia)Benedict XIV, 1675–1758, pope (1740–58), an Italian (b. Bologna) named Prospero Lambertini; successor of Clement XII. Long before his pontificate he was renowned for his learning and wrote a class...

Muluzi, Bakili

(Encyclopedia)Muluzi, Bakili (Elson Bakili Muluzi) bäkēˈlē mo͞olo͞oˈlē [key], 1943–, Malawian political leader, president of Malawi (1994–2004). After serving in the cabinet of Hastings Kamuzu Banda, he...

Sino-Japanese War, Second

(Encyclopedia)Sino-Japanese War, Second, 1937–45, conflict between Japanese and Chinese forces for control of the Chinese mainland. The war sapped the Nationalist government's strength while allowing the Communis...

Lease, Mary Elizabeth

(Encyclopedia)Lease, Mary Elizabeth, 1853–1933, American agrarian reformer and temperance advocate, b. Ridgeway, Pa. The daughter of an Irish political refugee, she first gained recognition for a series of lectur...

golden calf

(Encyclopedia)golden calf, in the Bible, an idol erected by the Israelites on several occasions. Aaron made one while Moses was on Mt. Sinai. Jeroboam I made two, and Hosea denounced a calf in Samaria. A bull cult ...

Tordesillas, Treaty of

(Encyclopedia)Tordesillas, Treaty of tōrˌᵺāsēˈlyäs [key], 1494, agreement signed at Tordesillas, Spain, by which Spain and Portugal divided the non-Christian world into two zones of influence. In principle ...

Abrams, Stacey

(Encyclopedia)Abrams, Stacey Yvonne, 1973-, American politician and author, b. Gulfport, Ms., Spelman College (B.A., 1995); Univ. of Texas (Masters of Public Affairs, 1998), Yale Law School (J.D., 1999)...

Quesnel, Pasquier

(Encyclopedia)Quesnel, Pasquier päskyāˈ kĕnĕlˈ [key], 1634–1719, French Jansenist writer. He entered the Congregation of the Oratory in 1657 and was made director of the seminary at Paris in 1662. His editi...