Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Ciardi, John chēärˈdē [key], 1916–86, American poet, b. Boston, grad. Tufts College, B.A., 1938, Univ. of Michigan, M.A., 1939. His poetry, noted for its wit and perception, includes Homeward to...

(Encyclopedia) circumpolar star, star whose diurnal circle lies completely above or completely below an observer's horizon. A star whose diurnal circle lies above the horizon never sets, even though it cannot be see...

(Encyclopedia) Clarke, James Freeman, 1810–88, American Unitarian clergyman and author, b. Hanover, N.H. While in charge of the Unitarian church in Louisville, Ky. (1833–40), he was for three years editor of the...

(Encyclopedia) Coptos kŏpˈtəs [key], ancient city of Egypt, on the right bank of the Nile, c.27 mi (43 km) N of modern Luxor. Remains of the Temple of Min, patron god of Coptos, have been found there as well as r...

(Encyclopedia) Crespi, Juan krāsˈpē [key], 1721–82, Spanish explorer in the Southwest, a Franciscan. He came to America in 1749, and in 1767 he went to the peninsula of California in charge of Mission Purísim...

(Encyclopedia) Cúcuta ko͞oˈko͞otä [key], city, capital of Norte de Santander dept., NE Colombia, near the ...

(Encyclopedia) Franklin, State of, government (1784–88) formed by the inhabitants of Washington, Sullivan, and Greene counties in present-day E Tennessee after North Carolina ceded (June, 1784) its western lands t...

(Encyclopedia) Jones, Samuel Milton, 1846–1904, American political reformer, known as “Golden Rule” Jones, b. Wales. He was brought to America as a child and worked in the oil fields of Pennsylvania and Ohio. ...

(Encyclopedia) Hampton, Wade, c.1752–1835, American planter and soldier, b. Halifax co., Va. He served in the American Revolution and took part in South Carolina politics, opposing the ratification of the U.S. Con...

(Encyclopedia) skimmer, common name for certain sea birds resembling the related tern. Skimmers (genus Rhynchops) have long, laterally compressed bills of which the lower mandible is one fourth longer than the movab...