Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Pinkerton, Allan

(Encyclopedia)Pinkerton, Allan, 1819–84, American detective, founder of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, b. Glasgow, Scotland. A cooper by trade, he emigrated to the United States in 1842 and opened in We...

Wolf, Christa

(Encyclopedia)Wolf, Christa krēsˈtä vôlf [key], 1929–2011, German novelist. After attending the universities of Jena and Leipzig, she worked as an editor of literary journals. A committed communist in her ear...

Reign of Terror

(Encyclopedia)Reign of Terror, 1793–94, period of the French Revolution characterized by a wave of executions of presumed enemies of the state. Directed by the Committee of Public Safety, the Revolutionary govern...

monarchy

(Encyclopedia)monarchy, form of government in which sovereignty is vested in a single person whose right to rule is generally hereditary and who is empowered to remain in office for life. The power of this sovereig...

Brzezinski, Zbigniew Kazimierz

(Encyclopedia)Brzezinski, Zbigniew Kazimierz zbĭgˈnyĕv käzēmˈyĕsh brəzhĭnˈskē ...

Buyoya, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Buyoya, Pierre, 1949–2020, Burundian political leader. An ethnic Tutsi, he had a successful military career before he overthrew President Jean-Baptiste Bagaza and became president of a Tutsi-led mil...

Brian Boru

(Encyclopedia)Brian Boru or Brian Boroimhe both: brīˈən, brēn; bəro͞oˈ, bərōˈ [key], 940?–1014, king of Ireland. A clan prince, he succeeded his brother Mathghamhain, who had seized the throne of Munste...

Androscoggin

(Encyclopedia)Androscoggin ăndrəskŏgˈĭn [key], river, c.175 mi (280 km) long, rising in NE N.H., flowing south and east to enter the Atlantic Ocean at Bath, Maine. Hydroelectric plants, using the river's steep...

Osage, river, United States

(Encyclopedia)Osage, river, c.360 mi (580 km) long, formed by the confluence of the Marais des Cygnes and the Little Osage rivers, W Mo. It flows NE to join the Missouri River near Jefferson City. Bagnell Dam (comp...

Marathas

(Encyclopedia)Marathas or Mahrattas both: mərătˈəz, məräˈtəz [key], Marathi-speaking people of W central India, known for their ability as warriors and their devotion to Hinduism. From their homeland in Mah...