The evolution of the United States from a late-18th century coalition of rebel British colonies to a 21st century global superpower was shaped by several forces. As the nation expanded its boundaries after the Treaty of Paris confirmed independence from Great Britain in 1783, it acquired a rich variety of resources – coal, fertile soils, forests, iron ore, oil, precious metals, space, and varied climates as well as extensive tracts of territory. Technological innovations, such as the cotton gin and steam power, enabled entrepreneurs to exploit those resources and create wealth. Federal and state legislators provided environments in which the economy could flourish, and military strategists kept the country safe from external attack. Diplomats negotiated commercial agreements with foreign governments and cultivated multinational alliances that strengthened freedoms. Through its focus on the people and places that shaped the country’s economic and political development and its detailed accounts of the processes that enabled the U.S. to expand across the continent Historical Dictionary of the United States contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has more than 400 cross-referenced entries on important personalities as well as aspects of the country’s politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the United States.

For much of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Britain was the dominant world power, its strength based in large part on its command of an Empire that, in the years immediately after World War I, encompassed almost one-quarter of the earth’s land surface and one-fifth of its population. Writers boasted that the sun never set on British possessions, which provided raw materials that, processed in British factories, could be re-exported as manufactured products to expanding colonial markets. The commercial and political might was not based on any grand strategic plan of territorial acquisition, however. The Empire grew piecemeal, shaped by the diplomatic, economic, and military circumstances of the times, and its speedy dismemberment in the mid-twentieth century was, similarly, a reaction to the realities of geopolitics in post-World War II conditions. Today the Empire has gone but it has left a legacy that remains of great significance in the modern world. The Historical Dictionary of the British Empire covers its history through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 700 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Britain.

The Historical Dictionary of Japan to 1945 spans the entire period from the earliest evidence of human habitation in Japan through to the end of the Pacific War. It includes substantial topics such as cultural and literary history, with entries ranging from aesthetics to various genres of writing. Other branches of history also feature, such as economic history, industrial history, political history, and so forth. And of course there are the makers of Japanese history, ranging from emperors and shoguns to politicians and extremists – as well as foreign arrivals. The early history of Japan is told through a detailed chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, an extensive bibliography, and over 800 cross-referenced dictionary entries on important people, organizations, activities, and events. The Historical Dictionary of Japan to 1945 will appeal to both academics and the general public who have an interest in Japan, particularly those who want reliable information quickly and easily.

A wonderful A–Z of the fascinating world of Victorian London, full of amazing facts and curious humour.

The Enlightenment Movement changed society forever, driving it forward through new and fresh ways of thinking about science, religion, history, politics, and culture. This dictionary offers a balanced overview and helps us to understand and appreciate the Enlightenment through its coverage of the basic assumptions and values that structured the movement; explanation of how these ideas were articulated; the paths of communication they followed; how its key ideas grew, developed and were refracted; and how new problems grew out of what were advanced as solutions to older problems. An engaging introductory essay along with hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries defines the significant persons, places, events, institutions, and literary works of the movement. A chronological table charts the progression of the movement by indicating the date, the main figures involved, the political or society events, and the science, arts, or letters that resulted. The comprehensive bibliography, with an introductory essay to the literature, categorized by subject complements this reference that will be valued by all seeking basic details about this important period.

The small Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago have been treated as a single political entity for less than one hundred years. A union of two separate colonies started by Great Britain and Spain, each island has a substantially different ethnic makeup reflecting distinct lines of development. Tobago was first claimed by the English in the 16th century. Overwhelmingly African, its few European influences are almost exclusively English and Protestant. Economically, it has been a plantation colony for most of its recorded history, but in recent years has included tourism as part of its economic structure. In contrast, Trinidad is an outstanding example of a racial and cultural kaleidoscope, with a considerably diversified economic base made up of agricultural, extractive, manufacturing, tourist, and financial industries. Annexed by the British 200 years ago, this one time Spanish colony was strongly influenced by French creole culture and has become further diversified by immigrants from British India, China, Italy, Lebanon, and the West Indies. Compiled by Michael Anthony, renowned Trinidadian writer, the Historical Dictionary of Trinidad and Tobago brings together in one volume complete and easy-to-find information on this small but fascinating Caribbean country. Its concise dictionary entries describe the important people, places, events, and institutions of the nation as well as its society, culture, and economy. The comprehensive bibliography provides scholars with an important resource for further information on the islands. Includes maps and a chronology.

"The World Health Organization's history spans more than six decades. The past twenty years has been a particularly busy period in the organization's development, given the transition from international to global health cooperation and thus the need to adapt to major changes in its operating environment. Consequently, the WHO has been a direct part of new institutional arrangements and has shared in increased funding to provide for global health. It has also had to adapt its activities and programs in response to rival initiatives, leading to many changes--not only to the names of specific parts of the WHO but also to the nature of their activities. This second edition explores the organization's institutional complexity."--Back cover.

No period of British history generates such deep interest as the reign of Elizabeth I, from 1558 to 1603. The individuals and events of that era continue to be popular topics for contemporary literature and film, and Elizabethan drama, poetry, and music are studied and enjoyed everywhere by students, scholars, and the general public. The Historical Dictionary of the Elizabeth World provides clear definitions and descriptions of people, events, institutions, ideas, and terminology relating in some significant way to the Elizabethan period. The first dictionary of history to focus exclusively on the reign of Elizabeth I, the Dictionary is also the first to take a broad trans-Atlantic approach to the period by including relevant individuals and terms from Irish, Scottish, Welsh, American, and Western European history. Editors' Choice: Reference

Figure skating is the most popular televised sport at the Olympic Winter Games and is the oldest of the winter sports, having first been contested at the Games of the fourth Olympiad in London in 1908. No other sport creates such a perfect balance between athleticism and artistry, and the athletes—many of them household names like Oksana Baiul, Brian Boitano, Nancy Kerrigan, Evan Lysacek, Katarina Witt, and Kristi Yamaguchi—spend years in training to make it look effortless. The Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating relates the history of the sport through a chronology, an introductory essay, an extensive bibliography, appendixes, and over 800 cross-referenced dictionary entries on hundreds of skaters, past and present, but also on skating countries, governing bodies, skating disciplines, technical elements, skating styles, and many other subjects. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the history of figure skating.

While the earliest evidence of organized running can be traced back to Egypt in 3800 BCE, the modern sport of track and field evolved from rural games and church and folk festivals, and rules were drawn up in the final quarter of the 19th century in those advanced societies where enough people had the leisure time to indulge their fancies. Today, in addition to the running events, track and field includes such events as the high jump, pole vault, long jump, shot, discus, javelin, hammer, and decathlon. The Historical Dictionary of Track and Field covers the history of this sport through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 500 cross-referenced entries on key figures, places, competitions, and governing bodies within the sport. This book is an excellent access point for researchers, students, and anyone wanting to know more about the history of track and field.