Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Congress of the United States, the legislative branch of the federal government, instituted (1789) by Article 1 of the Constitution of the United States, which prescribes its membership and defines it...

(Encyclopedia) Prescott, Edward Christian, 1940–, American economist, b. Glen Falls, N.Y., Ph.D. Carnegie Mellon Univ., 1967. Prescott has taught at Carnegie Mellon (1971–80), the Univ. of Minnesota (1980–98, ...

(Encyclopedia) Mkapa, Benjamin William mkäˈpä [key], 1938–2020, Tanzanian diplomat and political leader. Acquiring a background in both the foreign service and journalism, Mkapa served in a variety of posts, in...

(Encyclopedia) Humphrey, Hubert Horatio, 1911–78, U.S. Vice President (1965–69), b. Wallace, S.Dak. After practicing pharmacy for several years, Humphrey taught political science and became involved in state pol...

(Encyclopedia) John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, philanthropic institution founded 1978 by John D. MacArthur (1897–1978), owner of a prominent insurance company and other businesses, and his wife Cath...

(Encyclopedia) Roth v. United States, case decided in 1957 by the U.S. Supreme Court. Samuel Roth of New York City was convicted of mailing obscene materials. On appeal his conviction was affirmed by the Supreme Cou...

(Encyclopedia) Empire State Building, in central Manhattan, New York City, on Fifth Ave. between 33d St. and 34th St. It was designed by the firm of Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon and built in 1930–31. For many years it...

(Encyclopedia) Kerr, Clark kûr, kär [key], 1911–2003, American educational reformer, b. Reading, Pa., grad. Swarthmore College (B.A., 1932) and the Univ. of California at Berkeley (Ph.D., 1939). He was a profess...

(Encyclopedia) Cremin, Lawrence Arthur krĕmˈĭn [key], 1925–91, American educator and historian, b. New York City. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia in 1949 and began teaching at Teachers College, Columbia. He...

(Encyclopedia) Wilson, James, 1836–1920, American agriculturist and cabinet officer, b. Ayrshire, Scotland. He emigrated to the United States and settled (1851) in Connecticut, later moving (1855) to Tama co., Iow...