(Encyclopedia) Mary of ModenaMary of Modenamŏdˈĭnə [key], 1658–1718, queen consort of James II of England; daughter of Alfonso IV, duke of Modena. Her marriage (1673) to James, then duke of York, was…
(Encyclopedia) Pledge of Allegiance, in full, Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, oath that proclaims loyalty to the United States. and its national symbol. It reads: “I…
(Encyclopedia) Augsburg, League of, defensive alliance formed (1686) by Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I with various German states, including Bavaria and the Palatinate, and with Sweden and Spain so far…
(Encyclopedia) Aristarchus of SamothraceAristarchus of Samothraceărˌĭstärˈkəs, [key]Amram ben Scheschnasămˈəthrās [key], c.217–c.145 b.c., Greek scholar, successor to his teacher, Aristophanes of…
(Encyclopedia) Thomas, Gospel of, a collection of sayings, composed originally in Greek, attributed to the “living” (i.e., resurrected) Jesus. Some of the sayings were previously known from papyri…
(Encyclopedia) act of God, in law, an accident caused by the operation of extraordinary natural force. The effect of ordinary natural causes (e.g., that rain will leak through a defective roof) may…
(Encyclopedia) Fourth of July,&sp;Independence Day, or July Fourth, U.S. holiday, commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The Second Continental Congress approved the…
(Encyclopedia) Japan, Sea of, or East Sea, enclosed arm of the Pacific Ocean, c.405,000 sq mi (1,048,950 sq km), located between Japan and the Asian mainland, connecting with the East China Sea, the…
(Encyclopedia) strength of materials, measurement in engineering of the capacity of metal, wood, concrete, and other materials to withstand stress and strain. Stress is the internal force exerted by…
