Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

De Smet, Pierre Jean

(Encyclopedia)De Smet, Pierre Jean pyĕr zhäN də smĕtˈ [key], 1801–73, Jesuit missionary in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, b. Belgium. He emigrated to the United States in 1821, served his novitiate in Florissan...

alabaster

(Encyclopedia)alabaster, fine-grained, massive, translucent variety of gypsum, a hydrous calcium sulfate. It is pure white or streaked with reddish brown. Alabaster, like all other forms of gypsum, forms by the eva...

United Provinces , former state, India

(Encyclopedia)United Provinces, former state, N India, now almost coextensive with the modern state of Uttar Pradesh. The United Provinces embraced the plain of the Ganges, the heartland of India. This region was t...

Glasgow, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Glasgow. <1> City (2020 pop. 15,014), seat of Barren co., S central Ky.; inc. 1799. It is an agricultural trade center that relies on dairy, ...

Holland, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Holland, city (2020 pop. 34,378), Allegan and Ottawa counties, SW Mich., near Lake Michigan, on Lake Macatawa, in a dairy and poultry area; founded 1847...

Pecos, river, United States

(Encyclopedia)Pecos, river, 926 mi (1,480 km) long, rising in N N.Mex. near the Truchas peaks and flowing SE across E N.Mex. and W Tex. to the Rio Grande; drains c.38,300 sq mi (99,200 sq km). In New Mexico, dams a...

Zion, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Zion zīˈən [key], city (1990 pop. 19,775), Lake co., extreme NE Ill., on Lake Michigan; inc. 1902. Largely residential, the city has some light industry. Zion was founded in 1901 by John Alexander ...

York, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)York, city (1990 pop. 42,192), seat of York co., SE Pa., on Codorus Creek, in an agricultural area; laid out 1741, inc. as a city 1887. It is a market, trade, processing, and distribution center in th...

Congress of the United States

(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...
 

Browse by Subject