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Berlin Wall

(Encyclopedia)Berlin Wall, 1961–89, a barrier first erected in Aug., 1961, by the East German government along the border between East and West Berlin, and later along the entire border between East Germany and W...

Saumarez, James Saumarez, baron de

(Encyclopedia)Saumarez, James Saumarez, baron de sŏmˈərĕz [key], 1757–1836, British admiral, b. Guernsey. He entered the navy in 1770 and attained command of a vessel in 1778. He was with Admiral George Rodne...

Barros, João de

(Encyclopedia)Barros, João de zhwouN dĭ bäˈro͝osh [key], 1496–1570, Portuguese historian. Of noble family, he early entered the service of the prince who became King John III. The most important office he he...

Chocano, José Santos

(Encyclopedia)Chocano, José Santos hōsāˈ sänˈtōs chōkäˈnō [key], 1875–1934, Peruvian poet and one of the leaders of modernismo. During a life of Latin-American wandering, Chocano was closely linked bot...

bauxite

(Encyclopedia)bauxite bôkˈsīt, bŏkˈ– [key], mixture of hydrated aluminum oxides usually containing oxides of iron and silicon in varying quantities. A noncrystalline substance formerly thought to be a minera...

Sloat, John Drake

(Encyclopedia)Sloat, John Drake, 1781–1867, American naval officer, b. near Goshen, N.Y. He entered the navy as a midshipman in 1800 and resigned after a year's service, but reentered for service in the War of 18...

Basse-Terre

(Encyclopedia)Basse-Terre bäs-tĕrˈ [key], town, on Basse-Terre Island, capital of Guadeloupe, a French overseas ...

Mallory, Stephen Russell

(Encyclopedia)Mallory, Stephen Russell, c.1813–73, U.S. Senator, secretary of the navy in the Confederacy, b. Trinidad, West Indies. He was raised in Key West, Fla., where he practiced law and was a customs offic...

Christiansted

(Encyclopedia)Christiansted krĭsˈchənstĕdˌ [key], town, chief city of St. Croix, one of the U.S. Virgin ...

fer-de-lance

(Encyclopedia)fer-de-lance fĕrˌ-də-lănsˈ [key], highly poisonous snake, Bothrops atrox, found in tropical South America and the West Indies. A pit viper, related to the bushmaster and the rattlesnake, it has h...