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Paca, William

(Encyclopedia)Paca, William pāˈkə, păkˈə [key], 1740–99, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. near Abingdon, Md. A lawyer and Maryland legislator, he se...

Hoppe, Willie

(Encyclopedia)Hoppe, Willie (William Frederick Hoppe) hŏpˈē [key], 1887–1959, American billiards champion, b. Cornwall, N.Y. He practiced billiards from a very early age and gave exhibitions before he won (190...

Stirling, town, Scotland

(Encyclopedia)Stirling, town (1991 pop. 38,638), Stirling council area, central Scotland, on the Forth River. The center of a large farm district, it has livestock markets and light industries making agricultural m...

Ripon, George Frederick Samuel Robinson, 1st marquess of

(Encyclopedia)Ripon, George Frederick Samuel Robinson, 1st marquess of, 1827–1909, British statesman and colonial administrator; son of the first earl of Ripon. As a young man he was interested in the Christian S...

Brunswick, former state, Germany

(Encyclopedia)Brunswick brounˈshfīk [key], former state, central Germany, surrounded by the former Prussian provinces of Saxony, Hanover, and Westphalia. The region of Braunschweig is situated on the North German...

Cornelius, Peter von

(Encyclopedia)Cornelius, Peter von, 1783–1867, German painter. He studied at Düsseldorf and in Rome, where he joined the German Nazarene group and collaborated with other members in the decoration of the Casa Ba...

Sophia Dorothea

(Encyclopedia)Sophia Dorothea sōfīˈə dŏrəthēˈə [key], 1666–1726, electress of Hanover, wife of Elector George Louis (later King George I of England); sometimes called Sophia Dorothea of Celle. Married to...

Chatham, William Pitt, 1st earl of

(Encyclopedia)Chatham, William Pitt, 1st earl of chătˈəm [key], 1708–78, British statesman, known as the Great Commoner. Proud, dramatic, and patriotic, Chatham excelled as a war minister and orator. He was th...

Boccherini, Luigi

(Encyclopedia)Boccherini, Luigi lo͞oēˈjē bôk-kĕrēˈnē [key], 1743–1805, Italian composer and cellist. Together with the violinist Filippo Manfredi he made a highly successful concert tour of Italy and Fra...

Spontini, Gaspare

(Encyclopedia)Spontini, Gaspare gäsˈpärā spōntēˈnē [key], 1774–1851, Italian opera composer. Spontini studied music in Naples. He went to Paris in 1803, was soon backed by the Empress Josephine, won a pri...