Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Wolcott, Oliver, signer of the Declaration of Independence

(Encyclopedia)Wolcott, Oliver, 1726–97, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. South Windsor (then in Windsor), Conn.; son of Roger Wolcott. He fought in King G...

Carpentras

(Encyclopedia)Carpentras kärpäNträsˈ [key], town, Vaucluse dept., SE France, in Provence. It is an important ...

Wright, Patience Lovell

(Encyclopedia)Wright, Patience Lovell, 1725–86, American sculptor, b. Bordentown, N.J., mother of Joseph Wright. Her portraits, modeled in wax, were the earliest recorded attempts at sculptural expression in the ...

Wrong, George MacKinnon

(Encyclopedia)Wrong, George MacKinnon, 1860–1948, Canadian historian. He was professor of history at the Univ. of Toronto from 1894 until his retirement in 1927. He was the author of many works on early colonial ...

Stonington

(Encyclopedia)Stonington stōnˈĭngtən [key], town (1990 pop. 16,919), New London co., extreme SE Conn., on a peninsula jutting into Long Island Sound; settled 1649 from Plymouth, inc. 1662. Fishing has declined,...

Telford

(Encyclopedia)Telford, town (1991 pop. 28,645), Telford and Wrekin, W England. It was originally designated a new town in 1963 as Dawley but was enlarged and renamed in 1968. Telford was established to alleviate ov...

Suppiluliumas

(Encyclopedia)Suppiluliumas, fl. 14th cent. b.c., Hittite king (1390–54 b.c.). The greatest statesman-warrior in Hittite history, he left on his death an empire that was stronger, though not richer, than Egypt. H...

Stjernstedt, Marika

(Encyclopedia)Stjernstedt, Marika märēˈkä shĕrnˈstĕt [key], 1875–1954, Swedish novelist. Stjernstedt's works reflect her distinguished family heritage as well as her liberal social and political interests....

bundling

(Encyclopedia)bundling, courtship custom, thought to have originated in Holland and the British Isles. It was extended to America, particularly to New England, and most widely practiced in the years prior to the Re...

Céspedes, Carlos Manuel de, 1871–1939, president of Cuba

(Encyclopedia)Céspedes, Carlos Manuel de, 1871–1939, president of Cuba (1933), b. New York City; son of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (1819–74). He actively participated in the Revolution of 1895 and the Spanish-...