Browse by Title: A
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Apache The Apache are Native American peoples who historically lived in the Great Basin, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. In popular culture they are remembered as being fierce… |
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Aquarius A star constellation that, in the Northern Hemisphere, can be seen in the southern sky. Although it lacks specific defining features, it was imagined in ancient… |
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Archaeologist Archaeology is a sub-field of anthropology. This sub-field is focused on studying, understanding, describing, and conserving the material culture (physical remains) of… |
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Arctic The Arctic is the region surrounding the North Pole, which reaches into the northernmost parts of Canada, Alaska, Siberia, and Greenland. The Arctic is characterized by… |
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Arid Used to describe the climate of a particular geographic location. Arid landscapes are devoid of water, lack abundant moisture in the air, and often appear as a parched… |
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Arizona In 1912, Arizona became the 48th and last contiguous state to join the United States. The capital, Phoenix, became one of the fastest growing cities in the country… |
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Arizona Highway Patrol The police division of the state of Arizona that is responsible for enforcing laws and regulations concerning driving, transportation, and road safety. … |
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Arizona State Police Arizona State Police is a colloquial reference to the enforcement personnel of the Arizona Department of Public Safety (APDS). APDS began as the Arizona Rangers in 1901… |
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Arizona State University One of three land-grant universities in Arizona, Arizona State University (ASU) is one of the largest public universities in the U.S. Its multiple campuses are… |
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armor A protective outer layer generally worn to protect a person in battle. For the Europeans, armor was often made of metal and thick cloth. However, as Native Americans… |
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Army Among the five branches of the Unites States military, the Army is a large military force that is trained for war on land. The mission of the U.S. Army is to preserve… |
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arrow A flying projectile shot using a bow, a curved piece of wood held in tension by string, gut, or plastic tied between the two ends. Traditionally, an arrow consists of… |
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arrow head More commonly spelled "arrowhead," archaeologists refer to arrowheads as projectile points. Arrowheads are prehistoric hafted (indented) pointed objects of worked… |
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arroyo An arroyo is a dry creek or stream bed with nearly vertical walls. Arroyos are ephemeral water ways, and so remain dry most of the time, but can fill and flow with… |
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artifact An object, usually of everyday use, that was made by people in the past and discovered, often by anthropologists and archaeologists, closer to the present. Artifacts… |
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as the raven flew An idiomatic phrase, equivalent to the phrase "as the crow flies," which refers to the shortest distance between two places, a linear transect that avoids meandering… |
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aspen Also known as quaking aspen, this is the most commonly and widely distributed tree native to North America. In New Mexico it can be found in the higher mountains of the… |
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asphalt The most common substance used in the U.S. for paving roads. Asphalt concrete (also called tarmac) is produced by laying heated refined crude oils over a layer of… |
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aspic A clear, savory jelly typically derived from the preparation of fish or meat. Aspic consists of the fat and other juices released by meat during its heated preparation… |
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Atlantic and Pacific Railroad (A&P) An American railroad company that operated, in the second half of the 19th century, two disjointed sections, one in the Midwest and one in the Southwest. The goal of… |
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auctioneer The announcer who conducts the biddings and sales at a public auction. Depending upon the venue, an auctioneer projects a sedate and cultivated demeanor, for example… |
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auditorium A large room or hall in a public building where an audience gathers, usually for a public event of performance. In some schools the gymnasium can also function as an… |
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autocratic Autocracy is a governing system in which a single person or group retains total ruling power. An autocratic person is someone who assumes absolute control over an… |
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autopsy The dissection of a corpse (dead human body) in order to determine the cause of death. Also known as a postmortem examination or necropsy. This method is used by a… |
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autopsy laboratory A room in a hospital where autopsies are performed on the bodies of dead persons. An autopsy is a post-death surgery and examination meant to determine the cause of… |