Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Lakshadweep

(Encyclopedia)Lakshadweep ləkshädˈwēpˌ [key], union territory (2001 provisional pop. 60,595), 11 sq mi (28 sq km), SW India, consisting of the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi islands in the Arabian Sea off th...

Parent, Étienne

(Encyclopedia)Parent, Étienne ātyĕnˈ päräNˈ [key], 1801–74, French Canadian journalist and government official, b. Quebec prov. As editor of the Canadien he had a commanding position in French Canadian jou...

Bercow, John Simon

(Encyclopedia)Bercow, John Simon, 1963–, British politician. A member of the Conservative party, he was first elected to Parliament in 1997. In 2009, Bercow was elected speaker of the House of Commons, a post he ...

Weizsäcker, Richard Karl Freiherr von

(Encyclopedia)Weizsäcker, Richard Karl Freiherr von, 1920–2015, German political leader. After serving in World War II, Weizsäcker earned a law degree from the Univ. of Göttingen (1953), then worked in the pri...

Welsh Marches

(Encyclopedia)Welsh Marches, lands in Wales along the English border. After the Norman conquest of England in the 11th cent., William I established the border earldoms of Chester, Shrewsbury, and Hereford to protec...

Walker, Mary Edwards

(Encyclopedia)Walker, Mary Edwards, 1832–1919, American surgeon and feminist, b. Oswego, N.Y., grad. Syracuse Medical College, 1855. At the beginning of the Civil War she offered her services to the Union army. F...

Stair, John Dalrymple, 1st earl of

(Encyclopedia)Stair, John Dalrymple, 1st earl of, 1648–1707, Scottish statesman; son of Viscount Stair. He served under James II, but sponsored the accession (1688) of William III in the Scottish Parliament and b...

Tolpuddle Martyrs

(Encyclopedia)Tolpuddle Martyrs, name given to six English agricultural laborers who in 1834 were prosecuted for trade union activities and sentenced to transportation. In 1833 these laborers, led by George and Jam...

Thompson, Jacob

(Encyclopedia)Thompson, Jacob, 1810–85, U.S. Representative (1839–51) and Secretary of the Interior (1857–61), b. Caswell co., N.C. Thompson was a prosperous lawyer and prominent Democrat of Oxford, Miss. He ...

Schlüter, Poul Holmskov

(Encyclopedia)Schlüter, Poul Holmskov, 1929–, Danish political leader, prime minister of Denmark (1982–93). A member of the Conservative People's party, he served in the Danish parliament (1964–94) and becam...