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Martin, Joseph William

(Encyclopedia)Martin, Joseph William, 1884–1968, American politician, Speaker of the House of Representatives (1947–49, 1953–55), b. North Attleboro, Mass. He was a reporter (1902–8) for several newspapers ...

Ohio Company of Associates

(Encyclopedia)Ohio Company of Associates, organization for the purchase and settlement of lands on the Ohio River, founded at Boston in 1786. Its organizers were a group of New England men, most of them former Amer...

West Florida Controversy

(Encyclopedia)West Florida Controversy, conflict between Spain and the United States concerning possession of Florida. By the Treaty of Paris of 1763, Britain received Florida from Spain, and from France that porti...

Albany Congress

(Encyclopedia)Albany Congress, 1754, meeting at Albany, N.Y., of commissioners representing seven British colonies in North America to treat with the Iroquois, chiefly because war with France impended. A treaty was...

Natchitoches

(Encyclopedia)Natchitoches nakˈətäsh [key], city (1990 pop. 16,609), seat of Natchitoches parish, NW La.; inc. 1819. Its industry is centered on the production, processing, and shipping of lumber and farm produc...

sales tax

(Encyclopedia)sales tax, levy on the sale of goods or services, generally calculated as a percentage of the selling price, and sometimes called a purchase tax. It is usually collected in the form of an extra charge...

Irvine, William

(Encyclopedia)Irvine, William ûrˈvĭn [key], 1741–1804, American soldier, b. Ireland. He studied medicine in Ireland and after 1764 practiced in Carlisle, Pa. He was called to service as colonel of a Pennsylvan...

Goethals, George Washington

(Encyclopedia)Goethals, George Washington gōˈthəlz [key], 1858–1928, U.S. army engineer, b. Brooklyn, N.Y., grad. West Point, 1880. After serving on various inland water projects, he was appointed chief engine...

Janša, Janez

(Encyclopedia)Janša, Janez, 1958–, Slovenian political leader, prime minister of Slovenia (2004–08, 2012–13, 2020–). Working as a journalist and computer programmer, he wrote articles in the 1980s that wer...

Medicaid

(Encyclopedia)Medicaid, national health insurance program in the United States for low-income persons and persons with disabilities. It was established in 1965 with passage of the Social Security Amendments and is ...