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Watt, James

(Encyclopedia)Watt, James, 1736–1819, Scottish inventor. While working at the Univ. of Glasgow as an instrument maker, Watt was asked to repair a model of Thomas Newcomen's steam engine. He devised improvements t...

Griswold, Roger

(Encyclopedia)Griswold, Roger, 1762–1812, American political leader, b. Lyme, Conn.; son of Matthew Griswold. A Connecticut lawyer, he entered politics and, as U.S. Congressman (1795–1805), was a vigorous Feder...

Judas Iscariot

(Encyclopedia)Judas Iscariot ĭskârˈēət [key], Jesus' betrayer, possibly from the village of Kerioth, the only Judaean disciple among the Twelve, and, according to the Gospel of St. John, their treasurer. Judas...

Budgell, Eustace

(Encyclopedia)Budgell, Eustace bŭjˈəl [key], 1686–1737, English essayist. He was a cousin of Addison, through whose aid he obtained several public offices. Budgell contributed to the Tatler, the Spectator, the...

Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi da

(Encyclopedia)Caravaggio, Michelangelo Merisi da äˌmārēˈjē [key], 1571–1610, Italian painter. His surname, Caravaggio, came from his birthplace. After an apprenticeship in Milan, he arrived (1592) in Rome w...

Morgenthau, Robert Morris

(Encyclopedia) Morgenthau, Robert Morris, , 1919-2009, b. New York, N.Y, Amherst College (B.A., 1941); Yale Univ. Law School (J.D., 1948). He was the son of Henry Mor...

reading, mental process

(Encyclopedia)reading, process of mentally interpreting written symbols. Facility in reading is an essential factor in educational progress, and instruction in this basic skill is a primary purpose of elementary ed...

Harris, Townsend

(Encyclopedia)Harris, Townsend, 1804–78, American merchant and diplomat, b. Sandy Hill, N.Y. A merchant in New York City for many years, he became (1846) a member of the board of education, served as its presiden...

Stow, John

(Encyclopedia)Stow, John, 1525?–1605, English chronicler and antiquarian. He was a tailor in his youth, but after 1560 he came under the patronage of Archbishop Matthew Parker, whose Society of Antiquaries he joi...

Berechiah

(Encyclopedia)Berechiah bĕrˌəkīˈə [key], in the Bible. 1 Son of Zerubbabel. 2 Father of Meshullam (5.) 3 Important Ephraimite. 4 Father of Asaph the psalmist. An alternate spelling is Berachiah. 5 Father of Z...