Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Quesnay, François fräNswäˈ kĕnāˈ [key], 1694–1774, French economist, founder of the physiocratic school. A physician to Louis XV, he did not begin his economic studies until 1756, when he wro...

(Encyclopedia) Ross, Sir John, 1777–1856, British arctic explorer and rear admiral. In 1818 he went in search of the Northwest Passage but turned back after exploring Baffin Bay. Financed by Sir Felix Booth, he co...

(Encyclopedia) Say, Jean Baptiste zhäN bätēstˈ sā [key], 1767–1832, French economist. In A Treatise on Political Economy (1803, tr. from the 4th ed. 1821) he effectively reorganized and popularized the theori...

(Encyclopedia) Terbrugghen, Hendrick hĕnˈdrĭk tĕrbro͝ogˈhən [key], 1588–1629, Dutch painter, a leading member of the Utrecht school. He was a pupil of the history painter Bloemaert before living (c.1604–1...

(Encyclopedia) planter, farm or garden implement that places propagating material such as seeds or seedlings into the ground, usually in rows. Broadcasting, i.e., scattering seed in all directions, by hand followed ...

(Encyclopedia) Sessions, William Steele, 1930–2020, U.S. government official, b. Fort Smith, Ark. After serving in the U.S. air force (1951–55), he attended Baylor Univ. (B.A. 1956, LL.B. 1958). A Republican, he...

(Encyclopedia) Buchan, John, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir bŭkˈən, twēdzˈmyo͞or [key], 1875–1940, Scottish author and statesman. Included among his works are a history (4 vol., 1921–22) of World War I; biographies ...

(Encyclopedia) Ku Klux Klan ko͞oˌ klŭks klăn [key], designation mainly given to two distinct secret societies that played a part in American history, although other less important groups have also used the name....

(Encyclopedia) Dobson, William, 1610–46, English court painter. After the death of Van Dyck, Dobson was made court painter to Charles I and did some interesting court portraits. Some of his works are close to the ...

(Encyclopedia) Manila hemp, the most important of the cordage fibers. It is obtained chiefly from the Manila hemp plant (Musa textilis) of the family Musaceae (banana family). It is grown mainly in its native Philip...