Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) federalism. 1 In political science, see federal government. 2 In U.S. history, see states' rights. ...

(Encyclopedia) Wisdom, John Minor, 1905–99, American jurist, b. New Orleans; grad. Tulane Univ. Law School, 1929. A Republican, long in private practice, he was named to the federal 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in...

(Encyclopedia) Bedford, Gunning, Jr., 1747–1812, American political leader, b. Philadelphia. Settling in Delaware, Bedford became a member of the local legislature, attorney general (1784–89), and a delegate to ...

(Encyclopedia) secret police, policing organization operating in secrecy for the political purposes of its government, often with terroristic procedures. Many states, including Chile, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Romania,...

(Encyclopedia) USA PATRIOT Act [Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorists], 2001, U.S. federal law intended to give federal authorities increased ...

(Encyclopedia) space shuttle, reusable U.S. space vehicle (1981–2011). Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and officially known as the Space Transportation System (STS), it was th...

(Encyclopedia) Hinckley, Gordon Bitner, 1910–2008, leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons; see Latter-day Saints, Church of Jesus Christ of), b. Salt Lake City, grad. Univ. of Utah. He ...

(Encyclopedia) Potosí pōtōsēˈ [key], city (1992 pop. 112,078), capital of Potosí dept., S Bolivia, at the foot of one of the world's richest ore mountains. In the cold, bleak, high Andes at an altitude of c.13...

(Encyclopedia) Calais kälāˈ [key], city, Pas-de-Calais dept., N France, in Picardy, on the Straits of Dov...

(Encyclopedia) Stockton, city (1990 pop. 210,943), seat of San Joaquin co., central Calif., on the San Joaquin River; inc. 1850. One of the fastest-growing U.S. cities during the late 20th cent., Stockton is an inla...