Browse by Title: A
ApacheThe 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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AquariusA 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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ArchaeologistArchaeology 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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ArcticThe 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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AridUsed 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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ArizonaIn 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 PatrolThe 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 PoliceArizona 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 UniversityOne 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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armorA 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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ArmyAmong 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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arrowA 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 headMore commonly spelled "arrowhead," archaeologists refer to arrowheads as projectile points. Arrowheads are prehistoric hafted (indented) pointed objects of worked... |
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arroyoAn 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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artifactAn 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 flewAn 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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aspenAlso 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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asphaltThe 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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aspicA 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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auctioneerThe 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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auditoriumA 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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autocraticAutocracy 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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autopsyThe 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 laboratoryA 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... |