Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Old Ironsides

(Encyclopedia)Old Ironsides: see Constitution, ship. ...

ship of the line

(Encyclopedia)ship of the line, large, square-rigged warship, carrying from 70 to 140 guns on two or more completely armed gun decks. In the great naval wars of the 17th, 18th, and early 19th cent., ships of the li...

Constitution of the United States

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Constitution of the United States, document embodying the fundamental principles upon which the American republic is conducted. Drawn up at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787...

Hull, Isaac

(Encyclopedia)Hull, Isaac, 1773–1843, American naval officer, b. Derby, Conn. He served in the undeclared naval war with France (1798–1800) and in the Tripolitan War before being promoted to captain in 1806. In...

Lycurgus, founder of the Spartan constitution

(Encyclopedia)Lycurgus līkûrˈgəs [key], traditional name of the founder of the Spartan constitution. The earliest mention of him is in Herodotus. Nothing is known of his life—when he lived or if he was a real...

Bainbridge, William

(Encyclopedia)Bainbridge, William, 1774–1833, American naval officer, b. Princeton, N.J. An experienced sea captain, he joined (1798) the navy when war with France threatened. His ship, the Retaliation, was captu...

Bainimarama, Frank

(Encyclopedia)Bainimarama, Frank (Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama) jōsäēˈä vôrĕnˈgĕ bīˌnēmäräˈmä [key] 1954–, Fijian naval officer and government leader. He rose through the ranks of the Royal Fijian Na...

shipwreck

(Encyclopedia)shipwreck, complete or partial destruction of a vessel as a result of collision, fire, grounding, storm, explosion, or other mishap. In the ancient world sea travel was hazardous, but in modern times ...

Browse by Subject