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Lucas, George W., Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Lucas, George W., Jr., 1944–, American film director, producer, and writer, b. Modesto, Calif. Although Lucas's first film, THX-1138 (1970), was not successful, his next two, American Graffiti (1973...

McKean, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)McKean, Thomas məkānˈ, –kēnˈ [key], 1734–1817, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. New London, Pa. He settled at New Castle, Del., and b...

Abubakar, Atiku

(Encyclopedia)Abubakar, Atiku ätēˈko͞o äbo͞obäkärˈ [key], 1946–, Nigerian politician, grad. Ahmadu Bello Univ. Law School (1969). A Muslim and member of the Hausa ethnic group, he worked in the governmen...

May Fourth Movement

(Encyclopedia)May Fourth Movement (1919), first mass movement in modern Chinese history. On May 4, about 5,000 university students in Beijing protested the Versailles Conference (Apr. 28, 1919) awarding Japan the f...

Masada

(Encyclopedia)Masada məsāˈdə [key], ancient mountaintop fortress in Israel, the final outpost of the Zealot Jews in their rebellion against Roman authority (a.d. 66–73). Located in the Judaean Desert, the for...

Litvinov, Maxim Maximovich

(Encyclopedia)Litvinov, Maxim Maximovich məksyēmˈ mäksēˈməvĭch lyĭtvēˈnəf [key], 1876–1951, Russian revolutionary and Soviet diplomat. A Jew, he changed his name from Wallach after joining the Social ...

Lloyd's

(Encyclopedia)Lloyd's, London insurance underwriting corporation of many separate syndicates; often called Lloyd's of London. Founded in the late 17th cent. by a group of merchants, shipowners, and insurance broker...

Lao Tzu

(Encyclopedia)Lao Tzu lou dzə [key], fl. 6th cent. b.c., Chinese philosopher, reputedly the founder of Taoism. It is uncertain that Lao Tzu [Ch.,=old person or old philosopher] is historical. His biography in Ssu-...

Paris, Declaration of

(Encyclopedia)Paris, Declaration of, 1856, agreement concerning the rules of maritime warfare, issued at the Congress of Paris. It was the first major attempt to codify the international law of the sea. Conflicting...

parrotfish

(Encyclopedia)parrotfish, common name for a member of a large group of colorful reef fishes of warm seas, resembling the wrasses but of a larger size. Long considered a separate family, Scaridae, they are now group...