Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Fiske, John

(Encyclopedia)Fiske, John, 1842–1901, American philosopher and historian, b. Hartford, Conn. Born Edmund Fisk Green, he changed his name in 1855 to John Fisk, adding the final e in 1860. He opened a law practice ...

Maine, Gulf of

(Encyclopedia)Maine, Gulf of, part of the Atlantic Ocean, between SE Maine and SW Nova Scotia, at the entrance of the Bay of Fundy. The area is noted for its scenery and fishing. Overfishing and pollution led to th...

Church, Benjamin

(Encyclopedia)Church, Benjamin, 1639–1718, New England colonial soldier in King Philip's War, b. Plymouth, Mass. He took a leading part in the Great Swamp Fight (Dec., 1675), W of Kingston, R.I., and finally hunt...

Laurance, John

(Encyclopedia)Laurance, John lôrˈəns [key], 1750–1810, American Revolutionary officer, b. near Falmouth, Cornwall, England; son-in-law of Alexander MacDougall. A lawyer, he was (1777–82) judge advocate gener...

Red Rock chicken

(Encyclopedia)Red Rock chicken, the only chicken still popular to any large extent in the United States today for both meat and eggs. It resulted from a cross between a Rhode Island Red male and a Plymouth Rock fem...

Converse, Frederick Shepherd

(Encyclopedia)Converse, Frederick Shepherd kŏnˈvûrs [key], 1871–1940, American composer, b. Newton, Mass., studied with J. K. Paine and G. W. Chadwick and in Germany with Rheinberger. His Pipe of Desire (Bosto...

Gotham

(Encyclopedia)Gotham gŏthˈəm [key], name for New York City first used by Washington Irving and others in the Salmagundi Papers, with satirical reference to Gotham, England, where the wise men acted as fools in o...

Fools, Feast of

(Encyclopedia)Fools, Feast of, burlesque religious festival of the Middle Ages. It occurred during the Christmas and New Year's revels, on or near New Year's Day. In many places a Lord of Misrule ruled over the rev...

Allerton, Isaac

(Encyclopedia)Allerton, Isaac ălˈərtən [key], c.1586–1659, Pilgrim settler in Plymouth Colony. Possibly a London tailor, he was a merchant in Leiden before going to America on the Mayflower. From 1626 to 1631...

Heathcote, Caleb

(Encyclopedia)Heathcote, Caleb hēthˈkōt [key], 1666–1721, merchant and public official in colonial New York, b. England. He arrived in New York in 1692. He became a member of the governor's council and, in Wes...