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Mahan, Alfred Thayer

(Encyclopedia)Mahan, Alfred Thayer məhănˈ [key], 1840–1914, U.S. naval officer and historian, b. West Point, N.Y. A Union naval officer in the Civil War, he later lectured on naval history and strategy at the ...

Saint John's, city, N.L., Canada

(Encyclopedia)Saint John's, city (2001 pop. 99,182), provincial capital, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, on the northeast coast of the Avalon Peninsula, SE Newfoundland island. Built on hills overlooking a fine ...

Childers, Robert Erskine

(Encyclopedia)Childers, Robert Erskine chĭlˈdərz [key], 1870–1922, Irish politician and author. Born into a Protestant family, he was a clerk in the House of Commons (1895–1910). Gradually becoming convinced...

Maccabees, Jewish family

(Encyclopedia)Maccabees or Machabees both: măkˈəbēz [key], Jewish family of the 2d and 1st cent. b.c. that brought about a restoration of Jewish political and religious life. They are also called Hasmoneans or ...

Logan, John Alexander

(Encyclopedia)Logan, John Alexander, 1826–86, American politician, Union general in the Civil War, b. Murphysboro, Ill. He fought in the Mexican War and practiced law in Illinois. A Democrat who supported Stephen...

Loménie de Brienne, Étienne Charles

(Encyclopedia)Loménie de Brienne, Étienne Charles ātyĕnˈ shärl lōmānēˈ də brēĕnˈ [key], 1727–94, French statesman, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was archbishop of Toulouse (1763–88) an...

San Salvador, city, El Salvador

(Encyclopedia)San Salvador sän sälväᵺōrˈ [key], city (1993 pop. 402,448), central El Salvador, capital and largest city of the country. It is the center of El Salvador's trade and communications. Beer, tobac...

Thomas, George Henry

(Encyclopedia)Thomas, George Henry, 1816–70, Union general in the American Civil War, b. Southampton co., Va. He served in the Seminole War and in the Mexican War. Later he taught at West Point and served in Texa...

Cinque Ports

(Encyclopedia)Cinque Ports sĭngk [key] [O. Fr.,=five ports], name applied to an association of maritime towns in Sussex and Kent, SE England. They originally numbered five: Hastings, Romney (now New Romney), Hythe...

essay

(Encyclopedia)essay, relatively short literary composition in prose, in which a writer discusses a topic, usually restricted in scope, or tries to persuade the reader to accept a particular point of view. Although ...