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Nih'a'ca Tales
Article

Nih'a'ca Tales

Nih'a'ca tales are Arapaho legends concerning the trickster figure Nih'a'ca, who, according to Arapaho lore, is the first haxu'xan (two-spirit), a third...
The Origins of British Pub Names
Article

The Origins of British Pub Names

Pubs remain a prominent feature of the rural and urban landscapes of Britain, but their names very often date back to medieval times. Red lions, white...
Chesapeake-Leopard Affair
Definition

Chesapeake-Leopard Affair

The Chesapeake-Leopard affair was an incident that took place off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia, on 22 June 1807 when the British warship HMS Leopard...
A Roman Boy's Rite of Passage
Article

A Roman Boy's Rite of Passage

A Roman boy's rite of passage, a ceremony or ritual marking a transitional period in life from childhood to adulthood, was the assuming of the toga...
The Woman and the Monster
Article

The Woman and the Monster

The Woman and the Monster is a legend of the Arapaho nation about a woman who, seeming to drown in a river, is transported to the realm of an elemental...
Aelfgifu of Northampton
Definition

Aelfgifu of Northampton

Aelfgifu of Northampton (fl. 1013-1037) was an English noble who married the English and Danish king Cnut (r. 1016-1035) and was the mother of the English...
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Definition

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) was an American author of novels and short stories, who produced some of the most memorable works of American literature...
The Daughter of the Sun
Article

The Daughter of the Sun

The Daughter of the Sun is a Cherokee origin myth explaining how Uktena, the great horned serpent, came to be, as well as why those who die cannot return...
Ptolemy XII
Definition

Ptolemy XII

Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos (r. 80-51 BCE) was king of Ptolemaic Egypt and father of Cleopatra VII (r. 51-30 BCE). His illegitimate birth and drunkenness...
Marbury v. Madison
Definition

Marbury v. Madison

Marbury v. Madison (1803) was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that established the principle of judicial review. In the decision...
Northern Cheyenne Exodus
Definition

Northern Cheyenne Exodus

The Northern Cheyenne Exodus (1878-1879) is the modern-day term for the attempt by the Northern Cheyenne under chiefs Morning Star (Dull Knife, l. c...
Yellow Hair: George Armstrong Custer
Article

Yellow Hair: George Armstrong Custer

Yellow Hair: George Armstrong Custer is the Cheyenne and Arapaho account of Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer (l. 1839-1876), his interaction with...
Book of Genesis
Definition

Book of Genesis

The Book of Genesis is the first book of the Jewish scriptures and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. Genesis takes its name from the opening...
John Marshall
Definition

John Marshall

John Marshall (1755-1835) was an American lawyer and statesman, who served as the fourth chief justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1801...
The Description of Africa
Definition

The Description of Africa

The Description of Africa is the first comprehensive book about Africa, written by Leo Africanus, an African scholar trained in the Islamic intellectual...
Béla Bartók
Definition

Béla Bartók

Béla Bartók (1881-1945) was an innovative Hungarian pianist and composer most famous for his classical works for piano and orchestra, string quartets...
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