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secession, in political science

(Encyclopedia)secession, in political science, formal withdrawal from an association by a group discontented with the actions or decisions of that association. The term is generally used to refer to withdrawal from...

federalism

(Encyclopedia)federalism. 1 In political science, see federal government. 2 In U.S. history, see states' rights. ...

Wisdom, John Minor

(Encyclopedia)Wisdom, John Minor, 1905–99, American jurist, b. New Orleans; grad. Tulane Univ. Law School, 1929. A Republican, long in private practice, he was named to the federal 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in...

Bedford, Gunning, Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Bedford, Gunning, Jr., 1747–1812, American political leader, b. Philadelphia. Settling in Delaware, Bedford became a member of the local legislature, attorney general (1784–89), and a delegate to ...

USA PATRIOT Act

(Encyclopedia)USA PATRIOT Act [Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorists], 2001, U.S. federal law intended to give federal authorities increased ...

election

(Encyclopedia)election, choosing a candidate for office in an organization by the vote of those enfranchised to cast a ballot. In the United States, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, and many other nations, usuall...

code, in law

(Encyclopedia)code, in law, in its widest sense any body of legal rules expressed in fixed and authoritative written form. A statute thus may be termed a code. Codes contrast with customary law (including common la...

meatpacking

(Encyclopedia)meatpacking or meat-processing, wholesale business of buying and slaughtering animals and then processing and distributing their carcasses to retailers. The livestock industry is among the largest in ...

North Canadian

(Encyclopedia)North Canadian, river, 760 mi (1,223 km) long, rising in NE N.Mex., and flowing SE through Okla. to join the Canadian River in the Eufaula reservoir, E Okla. Federal dams and reservoirs on the river a...

Kapuskasing

(Encyclopedia)Kapuskasing kăpəskāˈsĭng [key], town (1991 pop. 10,344), central Ont., Canada, on the Kapuskasing River, N of Timmins. It has lumbering and pulp and paper mills, a cold-weather automotive testing...

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