Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) rye grass, short-lived perennial, leafy, tufted plant belonging to the family Poaceae (grass family). Two species are grown in the United States—Italian rye grass (Lolium multiflorum), the leading h...

(Encyclopedia) range, large area of land unsuited to cultivation but supporting native grasses and other plants suitable for livestock grazing. Principal areas in the western hemisphere are the pampas of South Ameri...

(Encyclopedia) Girard, Stephen jĭrärdˈ [key], 1750–1831, American merchant, banker, and philanthropist, b. Bordeaux, France. Girard went to sea and at the age of 23 was a captain. In 1776 he settled in Philadel...

(Encyclopedia) recognition, acknowledgment of the admission of new states into the international community by political action of states that are already members. Its derivation is found in the policy of the older E...

(Encyclopedia) ballot, means of voting for candidates for office. The choice may be indicated on or by the ballot forms themselves—e.g., colored balls (hence the term ballot, which is derived from the Italian ball...

(Encyclopedia) social work, organized effort to help individuals and families to adjust themselves to the community, as well as to adapt the community to the needs of such persons and families. Social work emerge...

(Encyclopedia) Oakland, city (1990 pop. 372,242), seat of Alameda co., W Calif., on the eastern side of San Francisco Bay; inc. 1852. Together with San Francisco and San Jose, the city comprises the fourth largest m...

(Encyclopedia) Hiroshima hĭrˌōshēˈmə, hērōˈshmä [key], city, capital of Hiroshima prefectu...

(Encyclopedia) American Indian Movement (AIM), Native American civil-rights activist organization, founded in 1968 to encourage self-determination among Native Americans and to establish international re...

(Encyclopedia) Tamaulipas tämoulēˈpäs [key], state (1990 pop. 2,249,581), 30,734 sq mi (79,601 sq km), NE Mexico, on the Gulf of Mexico. Ciudad Victoria is the capital. The central and western parts of the state...