Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) reciprocal trade agreement, international commercial treaty in which two or more nations grant equally advantageous trade concessions to each other. It usually refers to treaties dealing with tariffs....

(Encyclopedia) Missouri Compromise, 1820–21, measures passed by the U.S. Congress to end the first of a series of crises concerning the extension of slavery. By 1818, Missouri Territory had gained sufficient popul...

(Encyclopedia) Surratt, Mary Eugenia sərătˈ [key], 1820–65, alleged conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, hanged on July 7, 1865. A widow (her maiden name was Jenkins) who had moved from Surratts...

(Encyclopedia) Presley, Elvis (Elvis Aaron Presley), 1935–77, American popular singer, b. Tupelo, Miss. Exposed to gospel music from childhoo...

(Encyclopedia) Open Door, maintenance in a certain territory of equal commercial and industrial rights for the nationals of all countries. As a specific policy, it was first advanced by the United States, but it was...

(Encyclopedia) Lerner, Abba Ptachya äbˈə pətächˈyə lĕrˈnər, lûrˈnər [key], 1903–82, American economist, b. Romania. After studying at the London School of Economics in the 1930s, he collaborated with ...

(Encyclopedia) Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C. Part of the Smithsonian Institution, the museum was designed by Gordon Bunshaft to house 6,000 pieces of the enormous art collection amassed by ...

(Encyclopedia) New Harmony, town (1990 pop. 846), Posey co., SW Ind., on the Wabash River; founded 1814 by the Harmony Society under George Rapp. In 1825 the Harmonists sold their holdings to Robert Owen and moved t...

(Encyclopedia) O'Faoláin, Seán shôn ōfălˈən [key], 1900–1991, Irish writer. The relation of the individual to society was often the theme of his novels and stories. He frequently wrote about Ireland, analyz...

(Encyclopedia) Ouagadougou or Wagadugu both: wägədo͞oˈgo͞o [key], city (1991 est. pop. 634,500), capital of Burkina Faso. It is the nation's largest city and its administrative, communications, and economic cen...