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Queensberry, James Douglas, 2d duke of

(Encyclopedia)Queensberry, James Douglas, 2d duke of, 1662–1711, Scottish statesman. One of the early supporters of William III in Scotland, he held offices under him and Queen Anne, rising to become commissioner...

Mackinac

(Encyclopedia)Mackinac măkˈĭnôˌ [key], historic region of the Old Northwest (see Northwest Territory), a shortening of Michilimackinac. The name, in the past, was variously applied to different areas: to Macki...

fur trade

(Encyclopedia)fur trade, in American history. Trade in animal skins and pelts had gone on since antiquity, but reached its height in the wilderness of North America from the 17th to the early 19th cent. The demand ...

Pitt, William, 1759–1806, British statesman

(Encyclopedia)Pitt, William, 1759–1806, British statesman; 2d son of William Pitt, 1st earl of Chatham. Trained as a lawyer, he entered Parliament in 1781 and in 1782 at the age of 23 became chancellor of the exc...

Beaufort, Margaret, countess of Richmond and Derby

(Encyclopedia)Beaufort, Margaret, countess of Richmond and Derby bōˈfərt, därˈbē [key], 1443–1509, English noblewoman, mother of Henry VII. She was the daughter and heiress of John, 1st duke of Somerset, an...

Temple, Richard Grenville-Temple, Earl

(Encyclopedia)Temple, Richard Grenville-Temple, Earl, 1711–79, British statesman; elder brother of George Grenville and brother-in-law of William Pitt, 1st earl of Chatham. He succeeded to his mother's peerage in...

Stanhope, Charles Stanhope, 3d Earl

(Encyclopedia)Stanhope, Charles Stanhope, 3d Earl stănˈəp [key], 1753–1816, British politician and inventor; grandson of the 1st earl. He was a friend of the younger William Pitt and married (1774) Pitt's sist...

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