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Cleopatra's Needles

(Encyclopedia)Cleopatra's Needles, name in popular use for two obelisks of red granite from Egypt. Originally erected at Heliopolis (c.1475 b.c.) by Thutmose III, they were transported to Alexandria (c.14 b.c.) und...

Runnymede

(Encyclopedia)Runnymede or Runnimede rŭnˈĭmēd [key], meadow, in Egham, Surrey, S England, on the south bank of the Thames River, W of London. Either on this meadow or on nearby Charter Island, King John accepte...

Long Island Sound

(Encyclopedia)Long Island Sound, arm of the Atlantic Ocean, c.90 mi (145 km) long and 3–20 mi (5–32 km) wide, separating Long Island, N.Y., from the SE New York mainland and Connecticut. On the W the East River...

Fair Oaks, American Civil War battle

(Encyclopedia)Fair Oaks: see Peninsular campaign. ...

Scotland Yard

(Encyclopedia)Scotland Yard, headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police. The term is often used, popularly, to refer to one branch, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Named after a short street in Lon...

Gravesham

(Encyclopedia)Gravesham grāvˈshem [key], city and district (1991 est. pop. 90,000), Kent, SE England, on the Thames River. Industries include shipbuilding, metal casting, engineering, paper making, printing, and ...

American Association for the Advancement of Science

(Encyclopedia)American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), private organization devoted to furthering the work of scientists and improving the effectiveness of science in the promotion of human welfa...

Ferdinand I, king of the Two Sicilies

(Encyclopedia)Ferdinand I, 1751–1825, king of the Two Sicilies (1816–25). He had previously been king of Naples (1759–99, 1799–1805, 1815–16) as Ferdinand IV and king of Sicily (1759–1816) as Ferdinand ...

Ferdinand II, king of the Two Sicilies

(Encyclopedia)Ferdinand II, 1810–59, king of the Two Sicilies (1830–59), son and successor of Francis I. Although initially he sought to improve the wretched conditions of his kingdom, he soon relapsed into the...

Francis I, king of the Two Sicilies

(Encyclopedia)Francis I, 1777–1830, king of the Two Sicilies (1825–30), son and successor of Ferdinand I. He continued the ruthless and reactionary policy of his father, and his court was notorious for waste an...