Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Ord, Edward Otho Cresap

(Encyclopedia)Ord, Edward Otho Cresap, 1818–83, Union general in the American Civil War, b. Cumberland, Md. He commanded a brigade in Virginia (1861–62), was promoted to major general of volunteers, and fought ...

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...

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 ...

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...

Cameron, Andrew Carr

(Encyclopedia)Cameron, Andrew Carr kămˈərən [key], 1834–90, American labor leader, b. Berwick-on-Tweed, England. He worked as a printer in Chicago, where he became interested in the labor movement. In the Wor...

Vereeniging

(Encyclopedia)Vereeniging fərēˈnĭkhĭng [key] [Afrik.,=union], city, now part of the Enfuleni local municipality, Gauteng prov., NE South Africa, on the Vaal River. An industrial center, its chief products are ...

Veríssimo, Érico Lopes

(Encyclopedia)Veríssimo, Érico Lopes ĕˈrēko͝o lo͝opəs vərēsˈsēmo͝o [key], 1905–75, Brazilian writer. Veríssimo lectured and taught in the United States. He wrote (in English) Brazilian Literature (1...

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...

Castile

(Encyclopedia)Castile kästēˈlyä [key], historic region and former kingdom, central and N Spain, traditionally divided into Old Castile and New Castile, and now divided among the autonomous communities of Castil...

Browse by Subject