Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Missouri Compromise

(Encyclopedia)Missouri Compromise, 1820–21, measures passed by the U.S. Congress to end the first of a series of crises concerning the extension of slavery. By 1818, Missouri Territory had gained sufficient popul...

Hammerstein, Oscar

(Encyclopedia)Hammerstein, Oscar hămˈərstīn [key], 1846–1919, German-American operatic impresario. In 1888 he built the Harlem Opera House, and in 1906 the Manhattan Opera House, where he gave noteworthy prod...

Gephardt, Dick

(Encyclopedia)Gephardt, Dick (Richard Andrew Gephardt) gĕpˈhärt [key], 1941–, U.S. congressman (1977–2005), b. St. Louis. A lawyer, he was first elected to the House of Representatives as a Democrat from Mis...

Horta, Victor, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Horta, Victor, Baron, 1861–1947, Belgian architect. The Tassel House in Brussels (1892–93), his first mature work, was the earliest monument of art nouveau. It was excelled only by his later works...

Hailsham of Saint Marylebone, Quintin McGarel Hogg, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Hailsham of Saint Marylebone, Quintin McGarel Hogg, Baron məgârˈəl, hālˈshəm əv sənt mârˈĭbōnˌ [key], 1907–2001, British politician, b. London. A lawyer, he served (1938–50) as a Con...

inn, lodging

(Encyclopedia)inn, in Great Britain, any hotel, public house, tavern, or coffeehouse where lodging is provided. In American usage, the inn is generally a small rural lodging house for transients. Among the earliest...

Panetta, Leon Edward

(Encyclopedia)Panetta, Leon Edward, 1938–, U.S. politician and government official, b. Monterey, Calif., grad. Univ. of Santa Clara, Calif. (B.A., 1960), Santa Clara Law School (1963). After serving in the army (...

Mainbocher

(Encyclopedia)Mainbocher mĕnˌbōshāˈ [key] (Main Rousseau Bocher), 1891–1976, American fashion designer, b. Chicago. He was known for his expensive, elegant evening clothes; cardigan sweaters with jeweled but...

Dies, Martin, Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Dies, Martin, Jr. dīz [key], 1901–72, American political leader, b. Colorado, Tex. A lawyer, he represented Texas as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1931–45; 1951–59)....

Perceval, Spencer

(Encyclopedia)Perceval, Spencer, 1762–1812, British statesman. He had a profitable law practice before he entered the House of Commons as a Tory in 1796. He was solicitor general (1801–2), attorney general (180...