Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Knights of the Golden Circle, secret order of Southern sympathizers in the North during the Civil War. Its members were known as Copperheads. Dr. George W. L. Bickley, a Virginian who had moved to Ohi...

(Encyclopedia) Sierra Nevada sēĕrˈə nəväˈdə [key], mountain range, c.400 mi (640 km) long and from c.40 to 80 mi (60–130 km) wide, mostly in E Calif. It rises to 14,495 ft (4,418 m) in Mt. Whitney, the hig...

(Encyclopedia) Lexington. 1 City (1990 pop. 225,366), seat of Fayette co., N central Ky., in the heart of the bluegrass region; inc. 1832, made coextensive with Fayette co. 1974. The outstanding center in the United...

(Encyclopedia) Hidalgo ēᵺälˈgō [key], state, 8,058 sq mi (20,870 sq km), central Mexico. Pachuca de Soto is the capital. Cross...

(Encyclopedia) Tocantins to͝okəntēnsˈ [key], state (1996 pop. 1,048,514), 110,700 sq mi (286,787 sq km), N central Brazil. Palmas is the capital. Created in 1988 from the northern half of Goiás state, Tocantins...

(Encyclopedia) Durango do͞orängˈgō [key], state, 47,691 sq mi (123,520 sq km), N central Mexico. The city of ...

(Encyclopedia) Oxford. 1 Town (1990 pop. 12,588), Worcester co., S Mass.; settled 1687 by French Protestants, inc. 1693. It is chiefly residential, with some light manufacturing. Clara Barton was born in the town. 2...

(Encyclopedia) Vinson, Frederick Moore, 1890–1953, 13th chief justice of the United States (1946–53), b. Louisa, Ky. He received his law degree from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky (1911). He served (1923�...

(Encyclopedia) Veterans Affairs, United States Department of, federal executive department established to operate programs to benefit veterans and their families. The department was established in 1989; its predeces...

(Encyclopedia) Constitutional Union party, in U.S. history, formed when the conflict between North and South broke down the older parties. The Constitutional Union group, composed of former Whigs and remnants of the...