Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Arthurian legend

(Encyclopedia)Arthurian legend, the mass of legend, popular in medieval lore, concerning King Arthur of Britain and his knights. Although there are innumerable variations of the Arthurian legend, the basic story...

Lloyd, David

(Encyclopedia)Lloyd, David, c.1656–1731, political leader in colonial Pennsylvania, b. Wales. Having been commissioned attorney general of Pennsylvania by William Penn, Lloyd arrived in Philadelphia in 1686. He l...

Eichholtz, Jacob

(Encyclopedia)Eichholtz, Jacob īkhˈhôlts [key], 1776–1842, American portrait painter, b. Lancaster, Pa.; pupil of Gilbert Stuart in Boston but mainly self-taught. He painted portraits of some of the most promi...

Keith, George, Scottish preacher

(Encyclopedia)Keith, George, c.1638–1716, Scottish preacher. Joining the Quakers c.1663, he was closely associated with Robert Barclay, George Fox, and other influential Friends. Shortly after his arrival in Amer...

Excalibur

(Encyclopedia)Excalibur ĕkskălˈĭbər [key], in Arthurian legend, sword given to King Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. At Arthur's death Sir Bedivere threw Excalibur into the lake; a hand rose from the water, cau...

O'Connor, John Joseph

(Encyclopedia)O'Connor, John Joseph, 1920–2000, American Roman Catholic cardinal, b. Philadelphia. He was ordained a priest in 1945 and served as a military chaplain for 27 years, achieving the rank of rear admir...

Clarkson, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Clarkson, Thomas, 1760–1846, English abolitionist. He devoted most of his life to agitation against slavery, and the voluminous information that he gathered on the slave trade helped to influence Pa...

Oskaloosa

(Encyclopedia)Oskaloosa ŏskəlo͞oˈ sə [key], city (1990 pop. 10,632), seat of Mahaska co., SE Iowa, on the North and South Skunk rivers; inc. 1852. It is the trade and processing center of a rich farm and lives...

Hamilton, Andrew, colonial governor of New Jersey

(Encyclopedia)Hamilton, Andrew, d. 1703, colonial governor of New Jersey, b. Scotland. Becoming deputy governor of East Jersey in 1687, Hamilton defended the proprietors against popular opposition and shortly had t...

Pennsylvania State University

(Encyclopedia)Pennsylvania State University, main campus at University Park, State College; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered 1855, opened 1859 as Farmers' High School. It was named the Agric...