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Saint Joseph of Arimathea
Saint Joseph of Arimathea , in the New Testament, wealthy man, probably a member of the Sanhedrin, who gave the body of Jesus a decent burial. The Christian Church has always honored him. The stories connecting him with the Holy Grail and with the founding of Glastonbury are probably literary fi...
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affirmative action
affirmative action in the United States, programs to overcome the effects of past societal discrimination by allocating jobs and resources to members of specific groups, such as minorities and women. The policy was implemented by federal agencies enforcing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and two execu...
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Bolivia
Bolivia , officially Republic of Bolivia, republic (2005 est. pop. 8,858,000), 424,162 sq mi (1,098,581 sq km), W South America. One of the two inland countries of South America, Bolivia is shut in from the Pacific in the W by Chile and Peru; in the E and N it borders on Brazil, in the SE on Paragua...
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artificial heart
artificial heart external or surgically implanted mechanical device designed to replace a patient's diseased heart . The first one used on a human being, the Jarvik-7, was implanted (1982) in Barney Clark, who lived for 112 days; another patient, William Schroeder, lived 620 days. Two major drawba...
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ostracism
ostracism , ancient Athenian method of banishing a public figure. It was introduced after the fall of the family of Pisistratus . Each year the assembly took a preliminary vote to decide whether a vote of ostracism should be held. If a majority approved holding an ostracism, a day was set for the v...
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Peace Corps
Peace Corps agency of the U.S. government, whose purpose is to assist underdeveloped countries in meeting their needs for trained manpower. The Peace Corps was established in 1961 by executive order of President Kennedy; Congress approved it as a permanent agency within the Dept. of State the same ...
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Miguel Primo de Rivera
Miguel Primo de Rivera 1870-1930, Spanish general and dictator. After a rapid and brilliant military career in Cuba, the Philippines, and Morocco, he became governor of Cádiz (1915), then in turn captain general of Valencia, Madrid, and Catalonia. From Catalonia he staged a coup in Sept., 19...
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William Charles Coles Claiborne
William Charles Coles Claiborne 1775-1817, governor of Louisiana, b. Sussex co., Va. He began law practice in Sullivan co., Tenn., and was appointed a judge of the state supreme court in 1796. As a Congressman (1797-1801) he supported Jefferson, and in 1801 the President made him governor of Missis...
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Cinna
Cinna (Lucius Cornelius Cinna) , d. 84 BC, Roman politician, consul (87 BC-84 BC), and leader of the popular party. Shortly after Cinna's first election, Sulla left Rome to fight against Mithradates VI of Pontus, having received from Cinna and Cinna's colleague Gnaeus Octavius a promise to maint...
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foster care
foster care generally, care of children on a full-time, temporary basis by persons other than their own parents. Also known as boarding-home care, foster care is intended to offer a supportive family environment to children whose natural parents cannot raise them because of the parents' physical or...
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