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Mexico, National Autonomous University of

(Encyclopedia)Mexico, National Autonomous University of, at Mexico City, Mexico; founded 1551 by the Spanish king Charles I (Holy Roman Emperor Charles V). It has faculties of accounting and business administration...

Ponzi, Charles

(Encyclopedia)Ponzi, Charles or Carlo, 1882–1949), Italian-American swindler. He came to the United States from his native Italy in 1903, then went in 1907 to Canada, where he was convicted of check forgery. In 1...

Trudeau, Garry Beekman

(Encyclopedia)Trudeau, Garry Beekman tro͞oˈdō [key], 1948–, American political cartoonist, b. New York City. Since its debut in 1969, his comic strip “Doonesbury” has satirized contemporary events, persona...

Fitch, John

(Encyclopedia)Fitch, John, 1743–98, American inventor, b. Windsor, Conn. Fitch began (1785) work on the invention of the steam engine and steamboat and secured soon afterward the exclusive right to build and oper...

Cervera y Topete, Pascual

(Encyclopedia)Cervera y Topete, Pascual päskwälˈ thĕrvāˈrä ē tōpāˈtā [key], 1839–1909, Spanish admiral. During the Spanish-American War of 1898 he was given command of the Atlantic fleet and sent, aga...

Eck, Johann Maier von

(Encyclopedia)Eck, Johann Maier von yōˈhän mīˈər fən ĕk [key], 1486–1543, German Roman Catholic theologian. He was of peasant stock, the name von Eck being taken from his birthplace in Swabia. He was a br...

Bachelet, Michele

(Encyclopedia)Bachelet, Michele (Verónica Michele Bachelet Jeria) bĕōnˈēka mēchĕlˈ bächĕlĕtˈ herˈēä [key], 1951–, Chilean political leader and government official, president of Chile (2006–10, 20...

thistle

(Encyclopedia)thistle, popular name for many spiny and usually weedy plants, but especially applied to members of the family Asteraceae (aster family) that have spiny leaves and often showy heads of purple, rose, w...

Shiva

(Encyclopedia)Shiva or Siva shēˈvə [key], one of the greatest gods of Hinduism, also called Mahadeva. The “horned god” and phallic worship of the Indus valley civilization may have been a prototype of Shiva ...

Atalanta

(Encyclopedia)Atalanta ätəlănˈtə [key], in Greek mythology, huntress famous for her speed and skill. She took part in the Calydonian hunt and was rewarded by Meleager with the pelt of the boar. Later, warned b...