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Kinross-shire

(Encyclopedia)Kinross-shire or Kinross, former county, E Scotland. Under the Local Government Act of 1973, Kinross-shire became (1975) part of the new Tayside region. In the local government reorganization of 1996,...

Banffshire

(Encyclopedia)Banffshire or Banff, former county, NE Scotland. Under the Local Government Act of 1973, Banffshire became (1975) part of the new Grampian region. In the local government reorganization of 1996, Gramp...

Otto I, king of Bavaria

(Encyclopedia)Otto I, 1848–1916, king of Bavaria (1886–1913). Although incurably insane after 1872, he succeeded his brother King Louis II under the regency of his uncle Luitpold (1886–1912) and Luitpold's so...

state of emergency

(Encyclopedia)state of emergency, situation in which a government or a government body is empowered to act with enhanced powers in order to respond to a crisis. The enhanced or emergency powers, and in many cases i...

stimulant

(Encyclopedia)stimulant, any substance that causes an increase in activity in various parts of the nervous system or directly increases muscle activity. Cerebral, or psychic, stimulants act on the central nervous s...

free silver

(Encyclopedia)free silver, in U.S. history, term designating the political movement for the unlimited coinage of silver. In 1896 free silver became the major issue of a presidential campaign when William Jennings...

competition, in economics

(Encyclopedia)competition, in economics, rivalry in supplying or acquiring an economic service or good. Sellers compete with other sellers, and buyers with other buyers. In its perfect form, there is competition am...

Reform Acts

(Encyclopedia)Reform Acts or Reform Bills, in British history, name given to three major measures that liberalized representation in Parliament in the 19th cent. Representation of the counties and boroughs in the H...

Cwmbrân

(Encyclopedia)Cwmbrân ko͝ombränˈ [key], city, Torfaen, SE Wales. Cwmbrân was created under the New Tow...

Westminster Conference

(Encyclopedia)Westminster Conference, 1866–67, held in London to settle the plan for confederation of the Canadian provinces. The resolutions on confederation that had been framed at the Quebec Conference (1864) ...