Search Britannica

Map view of Europe on a geographical globe.

Where Does the Name Europe Come From?

Europe existed as a conceptual construct long before geographers began arguing whether there are seven continents or six, but where did the name Europe come from?

"The Duyfken off Australia, 1606". Produced 2011. "The Dutch East India Company vessel 'Duyfken' sailed south from Batavia in 1606 to discover and partially map for the first time the coastline of northern Australia. The painting imagines the landfall in

5 Fast Facts About the East India Company

Battle of Fleurus (June 16, 1794), the most significant battle in the First Coalition phase of the French Revolutionary Wars; by Jean-Baptiste Mauzaisse, 19th century.

What Led to France’s Reign of Terror?

Ancient Egyptian carving of Pharaoh Seti I holding his flail before the god of the underworld Osiris with Horus behind him. Abydos Temple, Egypt. Ancient carving, on public display for 2,000 years

Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

Centimetres vs inches, metal rulers on a white background with clipping path.

Why Doesn’t the U.S. Use the Metric System?

Discover what drives your curiosity.

Discover your curiosity type

Advertisement

Explore Encyclopedia Britannica

Mexican-American War

Mexican-American War: U.S. declaration of war

Printed Ephemera Collection; Portfolio 198, Folder 4—Rare Book and Special Collections/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (rbpe 19800400)

Mexican-American War, war between the United States and Mexico (April 1846–February 1848) stemming from the United States’ annexation of…

Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell in Wolf Hall a 2015 BBC TV Mini Series. drama, television, England in the 1520s, Henry VIII

Behind the Scenes: 12 Historical Figures in Wolf Hall

Tecumseh. Battle of the Thames, Ontario, Canada, and the death of Tecumseh. Col. Richard M. Johnson with the Kentucky volunteers on left battle with Tecumseh and his Native troops. Native American Shawnee chief. North American indian. (See Notes)

Military History Buff Quiz

Who was Mobutu Sese Seko?

Mobutu Sese Seko.

Frank Hall/U.S. Department of Defense

Mobutu Sese Seko, president of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) who seized power in a 1965 coup and ruled for some 32 years…

Magazines on display in a store in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. There are more than 1300 English and French magazines that are published in Canada.

Magazines: Fact or Fiction?

Colorful abstract painting. Contemporary painting. Not a Jackson Pollock. Hompepage blog 2009, arts and entertainment, history and society

7 Tongue-Twisting Painting Techniques

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, Mexican army officer and statesman, c. 1847. Battle of the Alamo, Mexican War, Mexican-American War, Texas revolt, Texas Revolution, Mexican independence, Texas independence, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna Perez de Lebron.

Behind the Scenes: 12 Real-Life Characters of Texas Rising

American author Toni Morrison, 2009. (Nobel Prize for Literature 1993)

Nobel Laureates in Literature

Scolex (head) of the tapeworm Taenia solium. The hooks of the scolex enable the tapeworm to attach to the intestinal wall.

Uninvited Guests: The 7 Worst Parasitic Worms

Microsoft sign adorns new office building housing computer giant's office in Vancouver, Canada, May 7, 2016.

Salamander (Salamandra terrestris).

Amphibian, (class Amphibia), any member of the group of vertebrate animals characterized by their ability to exploit both aquatic and terrestrial…

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:—“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

quinoa seeds

© Brend Hofacker/Fotolia

Quinoa, (Chenopodium quinoa), plant species grown for its tiny edible seeds. As a member of the Amaranthaceae family, quinoa is not a true cereal. Its…

Advocacy for Animals

John McCain’s Lasting Legacy for Animals

PETA remembers John McCain, who died on August 25, 2018. As a U.S. senator for over three decades, McCain championed a wide variety of animal-friendly legislation.

Alain Elkann Interviews

Alain has been writing a weekly interview column for the Italian newspaper La Stampa since 1989. His interviews celebrate some of the best known and successful personalities of the present day.

Encyclopedia Britannica by Category

Encyclopedia Britannica Features

×