Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Smith, James, American political leader

(Encyclopedia)Smith, James, c.1719–1806, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. Ireland. He settled in Pennsylvania in his youth and practiced law at York. He s...

revival, religious

(Encyclopedia)revival, religious, renewal of attention to religious faith and service in a church or community, usually following a period of comparative inactivity and frequently marked by intense fervor. As appli...

Ailey, Alvin, Jr.

(Encyclopedia)Ailey, Alvin, Jr. āˈlē [key], 1931–89, American modern dancer and choreographer, b. Rogers, Tex. Ailey studied in Los Angeles with Lester Horton, whose strong, dramatic style and views about mult...

Cauchon, Pierre

(Encyclopedia)Cauchon, Pierre pyĕr kōshôNˈ [key], d. 1442, bishop of Beauvais, France, president of the ecclesiastic court that convicted (1431) Joan of Arc at Rouen. His violent partisanship for the English ma...

Bannu

(Encyclopedia)Bannu bənˈno͞o [key], town (1981 pop. 35,170), N Pakistan. It is a district administrative center and an important road junction and market town. The major industries are cloth weaving and the manu...

Ballia

(Encyclopedia)Ballia bŭlˈyə [key], town, Uttar Pradesh state, N central India. Situated on a rich alluvi...

Sedalia

(Encyclopedia)Sedalia sĭdāˈlyə [key], city (1990 pop. 19,800), seat of Pettis co., W central Mo.; inc. 1864. An agricultural shipping and distribution center as well as a regional service and shopping center, S...

Irish wolfhound

(Encyclopedia)Irish wolfhound, breed of very large hound whose origins may be traced back many centuries in Ireland. The tallest of dogs, it stands about 34 in. (86.4 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs about 140 l...

Halston

(Encyclopedia)Halston, 1932–90, American fashion designer, b. Des Moines, Iowa as Roy Halston Frowick; attended Indiana Univ. and the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1958 he moved to New York City, designing hats fo...

Gray, Elisha

(Encyclopedia)Gray, Elisha, 1835–1901, American inventor, b. Barnesville, Ohio. He patented many electrical devices, most of them having to do with the telegraph. His telautograph (1888) for transmitting handwrit...