Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Dorsey, Jimmy

(Encyclopedia)Dorsey, Jimmy (James Francis Dorsey), 1904–57, and his brother Tommy Dorsey (Thomas Francis Dorsey, Jr.), 1905–1956, both b. Shenandoah, Pa., American jazz musicians and bandleaders during the Big...

Dunning, William Archibald

(Encyclopedia)Dunning, William Archibald, 1857–1922, American historian, b. Plainfield, N.J., grad. Columbia (B.A., 1881; Ph. D., 1885). After studying in Berlin, he returned (1886) to spend a lifetime at Columbi...

Yáñez, Agustín

(Encyclopedia)Yáñez, Agustín ägo͞ostēnˈ yäˈnyās [key], 1904–80, Mexican novelist and critic. Yáñez's writings include works about Native American myths and the Spanish colonial era. His work includes ...

herm, in Greek art

(Encyclopedia)herm hûrm [key], in 6th-century Greek art, vertical pillar surmounted by a bearded human head and often having a phallus below. These structures were considered sacred to Hermes. They were placed on ...

Conneaut

(Encyclopedia)Conneaut kŏnˈēŏtˌ [key], city (2020 pop. 12,448), Ashtabula co., extreme NE Ohio, on Lake ...

Magadan

(Encyclopedia)Magadan məgədänˈ [key], city (1989 pop. 152,000), capital of Magadan region, Russian Far East, a port on the Sea of Okhotsk. It has shipyards, canning factories, and a major airport. A highway lea...

Froberger, Johann Jakob

(Encyclopedia)Froberger, Johann Jakob yōˈhān yāˈkôp frōˈbĕrgər [key], 1616–67, German organist and composer; pupil of Frescobaldi. His style influenced German keyboard music during the baroque era. He i...

Bailey, Gamaliel

(Encyclopedia)Bailey, Gamaliel, 1807–59, American abolitionist editor, b. Mt. Holly, N.J. In 1837 he succeeded James Birney as editor and publisher of the Philanthropist at Cincinnati. Three times his office was ...

period, in geologic time

(Encyclopedia)period, unit of time on the geologic timescale. Periods are shorter than an era and longer than an epoch. Periods are of variable length, generally lasting tens of millions of years, with characterist...

Ohio and Erie Canal

(Encyclopedia)Ohio and Erie Canal, former waterway of Ohio, 307 mi (494 km) long, between Lake Erie at Cleveland and the Ohio River at Portsmouth; built 1825–32. It utilized part of the courses of the Cuyahoga, M...

Browse by Subject