Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Monk, Thelonius

(Encyclopedia)Monk, Thelonius (Thelonius Sphere Monk), 1917–82, American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, b. Rocky Mount, N.C. Monk is considered one of the most important, and eccentric, figures in modern j...

Ararat

(Encyclopedia)Ararat ărˈərăt [key], Turkish Ağri Daği, name of two mountains, Little Ararat (12,877 ft/3,925 m) and Great Ararat (16,945 ft/5,165 m), E Turkey, near the Iranian and Armenian borders. The tradi...

Catskill Mountains

(Encyclopedia)Catskill Mountains, dissected plateau of the Appalachian Mt. system, SE N.Y., W of the Hudson River. This glaciated region, wooded and rolling, with deep gorges and many waterfalls, is drained by the ...

Carnegie Corporation of New York

(Encyclopedia)Carnegie Corporation of New York, foundation established (1911) to administer Andrew Carnegie's remaining personal fortune for philanthropic purposes. Initially endowed with $125 million, the foundati...

Tiwi Islands

(Encyclopedia)Tiwi Islands, island group (2016 pop. 2,453), Northern Territory, Australia, c.50 mi (80 km) N of Darwin, in the Timor Sea. Consisting of Bathurst Island and the much larger Melville Island to the eas...

Terbrugghen, Hendrick

(Encyclopedia)Terbrugghen, Hendrick hĕnˈdrĭk tĕrbro͝ogˈhən [key], 1588–1629, Dutch painter, a leading member of the Utrecht school. He was a pupil of the history painter Bloemaert before living (c.1604–1...

Wynkyn de Worde

(Encyclopedia)Wynkyn de Worde wĭngˈkĭn də wôrd, wûrd [key], d. 1535, English printer, whose original name was Jan van Wynkyn. He was born at Wörth in Alsace and probably accompanied William Caxton to England...

Simcoe, John Graves

(Encyclopedia)Simcoe, John Graves sĭmˈkō [key], 1752–1806, British army officer, first governor of Upper Canada (Ontario). He served with the British in the American Revolution. Upon the division of Quebec int...

Harrison, William Henry

(Encyclopedia)Harrison, William Henry, 1773–1841, 9th President of the United States (Mar. 4–Apr. 4, 1841), b. “Berkeley,” Charles City co., Va.; son of Benjamin Harrison (1726?–1791) and grandfather of B...

Browse by Subject