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Failly, Pierre Louis Charles de

(Encyclopedia)Failly, Pierre Louis Charles de pyĕr lwē shärl də fāyēˈ [key], 1810–92, French general. He fought in Algeria, in the Crimean War, and at Magenta and Solferino (1859) in the Italian War. Headi...

Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

(Encyclopedia)Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, a fundamental document of French constitutional history, drafted by Emmanuel Sieyès, adopted by the Constituent Assembly on Aug. 26, 1789, and embodied i...

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

(Encyclopedia)Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, case decided in 1978 by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court held in a closely divided decision that race could be one of the factors considered in choos...

Philippines, The

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Philippines, The fĭlˈəpēnzˌ [key], officially Republic of the Philippines, republic (2015 est. pop. 101,716,000), 115,830 sq mi (300,000 sq km), SW Pacific, in the Malay Archipelago off th...

Wolcott, Oliver, signer of the Declaration of Independence

(Encyclopedia)Wolcott, Oliver, 1726–97, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. South Windsor (then in Windsor), Conn.; son of Roger Wolcott. He fought in King G...

Martaban, Gulf of

(Encyclopedia)Martaban, Gulf of märtəbănˈ, –bänˈ [key], arm of the Andaman Sea, indenting S Myanmar and receiving the waters of the Sittaung and Thanlwin (Salween) rivers. The small port of Mottama (formerl...

attar of roses

(Encyclopedia)attar of roses ătˈər, ăˈtär [key], or rose oil, fragrant essential oil obtained from roses and used in making perfume. It is one of the most valuable of the volatile oils. Rose water is water in...

Oakley, Annie

(Encyclopedia)Oakley, Annie, 1860–1926, American theatrical performer, b. Darke co., Ohio. Her original name was Phoebe Anne Oakley Mozee. From childhood on she was a “dead shot” with a rifle. She defeated in...

Athelney, Isle of

(Encyclopedia)Athelney, Isle of ăthˈəlnē [key], small area formerly surrounded by marshland, Somerset, SW England. King Alfred took refuge from the Danes there in 878 and founded a Benedictine abbey in 888. Rel...

Sydney, University of

(Encyclopedia)Sydney, University of, at Sydney, Australia, founded 1850, as Australia's first university. It began with a small faculty of arts, acquired a new campus in 1855, added faculties of law, medicine, and ...