Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Quids, in U.S. political history, an extreme states' rights group of Jeffersonian Republicans led by John Randolph of Virginia. Feeling that Thomas Jefferson and James Madison had retreated from the s...

(Encyclopedia) Montpelier, estate, central Va., near Charlottesville; formerly the home of President James Madison. The brick mansion was built c.1760 by Madison's father. Altered and enlarged by later owners, it ha...

(Encyclopedia) Hunt, Gaillard gĭlyärdˈ [key], 1862–1924, American historian and editor, b. New Orleans. He served (1887–1909, 1917–24) the Dept. of State in various capacities, his most important work being...

(Encyclopedia) Smith, Robert, 1757–1842, U.S. government official, b. Lancaster, Pa. Admitted to the bar in 1786, he practiced law in Baltimore before serving in the Maryland state senate (1793–95) and in the Ba...

(Encyclopedia) Wilson, James, 1742–98, American jurist, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. near St. Andrews, Scotland. He studied at the universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh and, after emigrating to Pe...

(Encyclopedia) Monroe, James, 1758–1831, 5th President of the United States (1817–25), b. Westmoreland co., Va. In 1816 Monroe obtained the presidential nomination and was easily elected. During his first admi...

(Encyclopedia) Otis, Bass, 1784–1861, American portrait painter and mezzotint engraver, b. Bridgewater, Mass. He probably produced the first lithograph in America, a portrait of the Rev. Abner Kneeland, in a volum...

(Encyclopedia) Gilpin, Henry Dilworth gĭlˈpĭn [key], 1801–60, American public official, U.S. attorney general (1840–41), b. Lancaster, England. He practiced law in Pennsylvania and served as U.S. district att...

(Encyclopedia) Rives, William Cabell rēvz [key], 1793–1868, American politician and diplomat, b. Nelson co. (then part of Amherst co.), Va. A lawyer, he sat in the Virginia legislature (1817–21, 1822–23), was...

(Encyclopedia) Federalist, The, series of 85 political essays, sometimes called The Federalist Papers, written 1787–88 under the pseudonym “Publius.” Alexander Hamilton initiated the series with the immediate ...