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Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

(Encyclopedia)Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), an independent U.S. federal executive agency designed to promote public confidence in banks and to provide insurance coverage for bank deposits up to $250...

Valais

(Encyclopedia)Valais välāˈ [key], Ger. Wallis, canton (1993 pop. 262,400), 2,021 sq mi (5,234 sq km), S Switzerland. Sion is the capital. Bordering on France and Italy, the Valais extends from the Bernese Alps i...

Kakhetia

(Encyclopedia)Kakhetia kəkhĕtˈyēə [key], historic region, in Georgia. Telavi is the chief town. Kakhetia was an independent kingdom from the 8th cent. until 1010, when it became part of Georgia. Again independ...

Treasury, United States Department of the

(Encyclopedia)Treasury, United States Department of the, federal executive department established in 1789. It is charged with advising the president on fiscal policy and acting as fiscal agent for the federal gover...

bantustan

(Encyclopedia)bantustan, in 20th-century South African history, territory that was set aside under apartheid for black South Africans and slated for eventual independence. Ten bantustans (later generally referred t...

Machen, John Gresham

(Encyclopedia)Machen, John Gresham grĕˈsəm māˈchən [key], 1881–1937, American Presbyterian clergyman, b. Baltimore. Ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1914, he became a leader of the fundamentalists in his...

Westphalia, Peace of

(Encyclopedia)Westphalia, Peace of, 1648, general settlement ending the Thirty Years War. It marked the end of the Holy Roman Empire as an effective institution and inaugurated the modern European state system. The...

postal service

(Encyclopedia)postal service, arrangements made by a government for the transmission of letters, packages, and periodicals, and for related services. Early courier systems for government use were organized in the P...

numeration

(Encyclopedia)numeration, in mathematics, process of designating numbers according to any particular system; the number designations are in turn called numerals. In any place value system of numeration, a base numb...

Kaunda, Kenneth David

(Encyclopedia)Kaunda, Kenneth David kounˈdə [key], 1924–2021, African political leader, president of Zambia ...