Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

power. Among the leaders of the revolution

were Emiliano Zapata and Pancho

Villa. The revolutionary leaders won

rights for poor farmers and workers.

Modern Mexico

In 1929 revolutionary leaders formed a

political party that became known as the

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).

The PRI controlledMexico for the rest

of the century.ManyMexicans disliked

the PRI’s control. In the 1990s rebels in

theMexican state of Chiapas fought

against the government for several years.

The election of President Vicente Fox in

2000 ended 71 straight years of PRI rule.

#More to explore

Aztec • Cinco de Mayo • MexicanWar

• Mexico City • Villa, Pancho • Zapata,

Emiliano

May 5,

1521 1821 1848 1862 1911 1929 2000

Spain conquers

the Aztec

Empire in

North America.

Mexico gains

independence

from Spain.

Mexico loses

land to the

United States

after the

Mexican War.

Mexico defeats

invading

French forces.

The Mexican

Revolution ends

rule of dictator

Porfirio Diaz.

The political

party called PRI

takes power.

Vicente Fox

becomes the

first non-PRI

president in 71

years.

T I M E L I N E

112 Mexico BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Mexico, Gulf of

The Gulf of Mexico is a huge body of

water off the southeastern coast of

North America. It is almost surrounded

by the United States and Mexico. Cuba

is to the east.Waterways called straits

connect the gulf to the Atlantic Ocean

and the Caribbean Sea. The Mississippi

River and Rio Grande flow into the gulf.

The gulf greatly affects the climate of

the southeastern United States. The

winds that blow north across the gulf

pick up moisture from it. The moisture

falls as heavy rain along the coast. Hurricanes

often hit the coast.

The Gulf of Mexico contains valuable

supplies of oil and natural gas. Drilling

for oil and gas is a major industry off the

coasts of the U.S. states of Texas and

Louisiana. Fishing is also important in

the gulf. Fishers catch shrimps, flounder,

red snappers, mullet, oysters, and crabs.

Tourism is another leading industry

along the Gulf Coast, especially during

the winter.

..More to explore

Mississippi River • Rio Grande

Mexico City

Population

(2005 census),

city, 8,463,906;

(2007

estimate), urban

area,

19,028,000

Mexico City is the capital of the country

of Mexico. It is one of the oldest cities in

North America. It is also one of the

world’s largest cities. Mexico City is the

center of Mexico’s economy and a major

center of culture and education.

Mountains surround Mexico City. It lies

about 7,350 feet (2,240 meters) above

sea level.

Places of Interest

The plaza called the Zocalo is the traditional

city center. Many historic build-

Many hotels and tourist sites are located

along the Gulf of Mexico.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mexico City 113

ings, such as the National Palace,

surround the plaza. Several buildings in

the area have murals, or wall paintings,

by the artist Diego Rivera. In another

neighborhood is the former house of the

artist Frida Kahlo. It is now a museum

about her life.

Many tourists visit an area called

Xochimilco to see its “floating gardens.”

They are man-made islands on which

plants are grown.

Economy

Much of Mexico’s banking and industry

takes place in Mexico City. Tourism,

insurance, and other businesses that

provide services also bring money to the

city. Construction is one of Mexico

City’s leading industries. Factories in the

city make chemicals, plastics, cement,

cloth, and many other products.

History

Mexico City has been a large and important

capital for hundreds of years. It

began in the 1300s, when the Aztec

Indians founded a city on the site. They

named their city Tenochtitlan. They

ruled a huge empire from there.

The Spanish soldier Hernan Cortes and

his troops destroyed Tenochtitlan in

1521. They built a new Spanish city

there. Mexico City was the center of

Spanish rule in Mexico.

In 1821 Mexico became an independent

country. Mexico City became the country’s

capital a few years later. In the early

1900s the city was the site of fighting

during the Mexican Revolution. A powerful

earthquake damaged the city in

1985.

Mexico City grew greatly during the

20th century. In the early 21st century it

was among the fastest-growing cities in

the world.

#More to explore

Aztec • Cortes, Hernan • Kahlo, Frida

• Mexico • Rivera, Diego

Michelangelo

The Italian sculptor, painter, and

architect Michelangelo is considered

one of the greatest artists of all time.

His work stood out even during the

Italian Renaissance, a period known for

its many outstanding achievements in

art.

Early Life andWorks

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti

Simoni was born on March 6, 1475, in

Caprese, a town near Florence, Italy.

When Michelangelo was 13 he studied

The Antigua Basilica of Guadalupe stands

in Mexico City. A basilica is a type of church.

114 Michelangelo BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

art with Domenico Ghirlandajo, a leading

painter in Florence.

Michelangelo later moved to Rome.

There in 1498 he was asked to carve a

pieta—an artwork that shows the

Virgin Mary supporting the body of

Jesus after his death. Michelangelo’s

Pieta is a large sculpture carved from

one block of marble. It made

Michelangelo famous.

In 1501 Michelangelo returned to Florence

to create David, a huge marble

statue of a young man holding a slingshot.

David was a king of ancient Israel

who is said to have used only a slingshot

to kill the giant Goliath. One of the

world’s greatest statues, David represents

the Renaissance idea of a perfect human

form.

Sistine and Medici Chapels

In 1505 Pope Julius II called Michelangelo

to Rome to work on statues for a

tomb. In 1508 the pope asked Michelangelo

to paint the ceiling of the Sistine

Chapel. Over the next few years

Michelangelo covered the ceiling with

majestic frescoes, or paintings created on

wet plaster.

Michelangelo worked perched on a platform

about 60 feet (18 meters) above

the floor. Most of the time he painted

while lying on his back. His paintings

covered 10,000 square feet (930 square

meters) of the ceiling. The main scenes

show biblical stories, such as God creating

Adam, and Hebrew prophets.

Michelangelo later returned to Florence,

where he designed a marble chapel for

the powerful Medici family. The marble

statues he carved for the chapel are some

of his greatest sculptures.

Later Years

In 1534 Michelangelo started another

fresco, the Last Judgment, for the Sistine

Chapel. He spent most of the rest of his

life working on this large painting and

writing poetry. He also designed the

impressive dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica

and the Capitoline Square in Rome.

However, he did not live to see them

completed. Michelangelo died in Rome

on February 18, 1564. He was buried in

the church of Santa Croce in Florence.

#More to explore

Architecture • Painting • Renaissance

• Sculpture

Michelangelo’s Pieta can be seen in Saint

Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Michelangelo

sculpted David

out of a nearly

ruined block

of marble.

Another

sculptor had

already

started to

carve the

marble.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Michelangelo 115

Michigan

The U.S. state of Michigan is

believed to have gotten its name

from a Native American word meaning

“large lake.” Michigan is the only state

to border on four of the five Great

Lakes. Sometimes called the Great Lakes

State, Michigan has more coastline than

any state other than Alaska. The capital

is Lansing.

Geography

Michigan is located in the north-central

United States. It consists of two large

pieces of land: the Upper Peninsula and

the Lower Peninsula. The Straits of

Mackinac separate the two.

The Upper Peninsula extends north and

east fromWisconsin. The peninsula is

bordered by Lake Superior on the north

and Lake Michigan on the south. On

the east a river separates the peninsula

from the Canadian province of Ontario.

The Lower Peninsula is shaped like a

mitten, with the “thumb” on the eastern

side. It is bordered on the west by Lake

Michigan and on the south by Indiana

and Ohio. Two rivers and a lake separate

eastern Michigan from Ontario. The

peninsula is also bordered on the east by

Lake Huron and Lake Erie.

Michigan has two major natural

regions. A rugged, forested tableland

covers the western half of the Upper

Peninsula. The eastern half of the

Upper Peninsula and all of the Lower

Peninsula are a plains area with some

rolling hills.

People

Whites of European heritage account for

about four fifths of the population.

Most of Michigan’s early settlers arrived

in the 1820s and 1830s. During the

1800s many German, Irish, Dutch, Ital-

A red lighthouse stands along the pier in

Grand Haven, Michigan. Another structure,

which houses a light and a foghorn, stands

at the end of the pier.

116 Michigan BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

ian, and Polish people settled throughout

the state.

African Americans make up about 14

percent of Michigan’s current population.

The number of African Americans

increased greatly during the 20th century,

from about 16,000 in 1900 to

more than 1.4 million by 2000. The

state has one of the nation’s largest Arab

American populations. Many Arab

Americans live in Dearborn, a city near

Detroit.

Economy

Michigan is one of the nation’s leading

manufacturing states. Its economy is

dominated by the automobile industry.

The state is home to three major automobile

manufacturers: Ford, General

Motors (GM), and Daimler-Chrysler.

Michigan is also a major agricultural

state. It is best known for its fruit production.

Michigan leads the nation in

the production of cherries, and it is a

major provider of apples, grapes, pears,

plums, and peaches.

Michigan is one of the nation’s leading

producers of iron ore. Gravel, sand,

limestone, petroleum, and natural gas

are produced as well.

History

In the 1600s many Native Americans

lived in what is now Michigan. Some of

the main tribes were the Ojibwa

(Chippewa), the Potawatomi, and the

Ottawa. The first white settlers were

French fur traders and trappers.

The land that is now Michigan became

part of a region called the Northwest

Territory in 1787. Michigan joined the

Union as the 26th state in 1837.

People in Michigan were strongly

against slavery. The state therefore had

many stopping places on the Underground

Railroad. The “railroad” helped

slaves in the South escape to the North

or to Canada. During the American

CivilWar (1861–65) many Michigan

men served in the Union Army.

In the early 1900sMichigan became the

center of the U.S. automobile industry.

DuringWorldWar II (1939–45), the

automobile companies built tanks,

warplanes, and other machines that were

used in the war. Late in the 20th century

U.S. cars became less popular with

buyers. This hurt the state.

..More to explore

Great Lakes • Lansing • Underground

Railroad

The Carp River flows through a forest in the

Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of

Michigan.

Facts About

MICHIGAN

Flag

Population

(2000 census)

9,938,444—

rank, 8th state;

(2008 estimate)

10,003,422—

rank, 8th state

Capital

Lansing

Area

96,716 sq mi

(250,494 sq

km)—rank, 11th

state

Statehood

January 26,

1837

Motto

Si Quaeris

Peninsulam

Amoenam,

Circumspice (If

You Seek a

Pleasant

Peninsula, Look

Around You)

State bird

American robin

State flower

Apple blossom

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Michigan 117

Michigan, Lake

LakeMichigan is the only one of the five

Great Lakes that lies entirely within the

United States. The others are on the

border between the United States and

Canada. LakeMichigan’s name comes

from the Native American word

michigami, or misschiganin. It means

“big lake.”

Lake Michigan is the third largest of the

Great Lakes. It covers an area of 22,300

square miles (57,800 square kilometers).

It is bordered by the states of Michigan,

Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. Lake

Michigan connects with Lake Huron

through the Straits of Mackinac in the

north. There are a few islands at the

northern end of the lake.

Lake Michigan is part of the Saint

Lawrence Seaway. This passage connects

the Great Lakes with the Atlantic

Ocean. Ships carry raw materials and

finished goods to and from the great

industrial area along Lake Michigan’s

southern end. The industrial area centers

on Chicago, Illinois. Fishing is another

important part of the lake’s economy.

Popular summer resort areas dot Lake

Michigan’s shores. Indiana Dunes

National Lakeshore and State Park lies

along the southeastern shore. It features

long beaches and huge sand dunes.

#More to explore

Great Lakes • Saint Lawrence River and

Seaway

Windblown sand dunes can be found in some places near the shoreline of Lake Michigan.

118 Michigan, Lake BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Micronesia, Federated

States of

The Federated States of Micronesia is an

island country in the western Pacific

Ocean. It is made up of more than 600

islands. The capital is Palikir.

The country belongs to the region called

Micronesia, which is part of the Oceania

region. The country is divided into four

states: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae.

The largest islands are the peaks of

underwater volcanoes. Atolls, or large

rings of coral, make up the rest of the

land. The climate is hot and humid.

Rain forests grow on the volcanic

islands. Coconut, palm, and breadfruit

trees grow on the atolls. The country’s

waters are rich in fish, porpoises, turtles,

and giant clams.

The largest group of people is the

Chuukese. The Pohnpeians, the Yapese,

and the Kosraeans form smaller groups.

Nearly everyone is Christian. There are

at least eight local languages. English is

also common.

The country’s economy depends on

money from the United States. Most

people work for the government or as

fishers and farmers. Crops include coconuts,

bananas, pepper, and other fruits

and vegetables. Tourism is a growing

industry.

People came to Micronesia more than

2,000 years ago. Spain made the islands

a colony in the late 1800s. Germany,

Japan, and the United States all had

turns as ruler after the Spanish left.

The Federated States of Micronesia

gained independence from the United

States in 1986. However, the U.S. military

still protects the country.

..More to explore

Oceania • Palikir

Fishers use nets in Micronesia.

Facts About

MICRONESIA

Population

(2008 estimate)

110,000

Area

271 sq mi (701

sq km)

Capital

Palikir

Form of

government

Republic

Major towns

Weno, Tol, Palikir,

Kolonia, Colonia

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Micronesia, Federated States of 119

Microscope

A microscope is a device that magnifies

tiny objects, or makes them look larger.

People use microscopes to see objects

that are too small to be seen with the eye

alone. Such objects include cells, tiny

living things, and grains of sand.

Optical Microscopes

There are several types of microscopes.

Optical microscopes, also called light

microscopes, work like magnifying

glasses. They use lenses, which are

curved pieces of glass or plastic that

bend light. The object to be studied sits

under a lens. As light passes from the

object through the lens, the lens makes

the object look bigger.

A special type of optical microscope is a

compound microscope. A compound

microscope has a light that shines on the

object from above or below. A lens near

the object makes a larger image (picture)

of the object. This lens is called an

objective lens. Another lens, known as

the eyepiece, bends the light again. As a

result, the eyepiece forms an even bigger

image of the image made by the objective

lens.

The size of an image depends on the

lenses used. For example, an objective

lens might make an object appear 10

times larger than it really is. This lens is

said to have a magnification of 10.. If

the eyepiece also has a magnification of

10., the total magnification of the

microscope is 10 times 10, or 100..

The magnification of a compound light

microscope can go up to about 1,000..

This magnifying power makes it possible

Young students use microscopes to study

tiny objects.

Some compound optical microscopes can

make objects appear 1,000 times larger

than their actual size.

120 Microscope BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

to study tiny living things such as bacteria,

algae, protozoans, and many types of

cells.

Electron Microscopes

To view small objects even more closely,

scientists use electron microscopes.

These microscopes use beams of electrons

instead of light to magnify objects.

Electrons are some of the particles, or

bits, that make up atoms. Electron

beams cannot travel far in air. Objects

must be put in a vacuum, or airless

space, before they can be seen with an

electron microscope.

Electron microscopes can magnify

objects up to 1 million times. This magnifying

power makes electron microscopes

very important scientific tools.

However, they cannot be used to study

living things because living things cannot

survive in a vacuum.

#More to explore

Atom • Cell • Lens

Midas

In ancient Greek and Roman mythology

Midas was a king known for his foolishness

and greed. Stories about him show

the importance of thinking before acting

or speaking.

In one story someone named Silenus

wandered into Midas’ gardens and fell

asleep. The palace servants found him

and took him to the king. Midas treated

Silenus with kindness and helped him

get home. Silenus was a friend of the

god Dionysus. To reward Midas for

helping his friend, Dionysus offered to

grant Midas a wish.Without thinking,

Midas asked that everything he touch

turn to gold. Dionysus made it so.

King Midas is a figure from ancient Greek

and Roman myths.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Midas 121

Midas was thrilled by his new wealth.

But he soon realized his mistake. When

he tried to eat, his food turned to gold.

He knew that he would soon go hungry.

Midas asked Dionysus to take the wish

back, which he did.

In another tale Midas judged a musical

contest between the minor god Pan and

the powerful god Apollo. Midas awarded

the prize to Pan. In revenge Apollo

changed Midas’ ears into donkey ears.

#More to explore

Apollo • Mythology

Middle Ages

The Middle Ages was the period in

European history that came between

ancient and modern times. It lasted

from about AD 500 to about 1500. The

Christian church played an important

part in the history of the Middle Ages.

Early Middle Ages

The Middle Ages began when Germanic

tribes (peoples from northern Europe)

invaded the western part of the Roman

Empire. The tribes took over the land

and formed many small kingdoms.

The invaders also eventually converted

to Christianity, which had become the

major religion of Rome. The church

became the one thing that everyone had

in common. The pope was the head of

the Christian church. He and other

church leaders became very powerful.

Few people outside the church could

read or write during the early Middle

Ages. Religious communities called

monasteries therefore were centers of

learning.

The most successful king of this period

was Charlemagne. He ruled the Franks

in the region that is now France and

Germany. The pope crowned Charlemagne

emperor of the west in 800.

However, his heirs were too weak to

keep the empire—later called the Holy

Roman Empire—in one piece.

From the 800s to the 1000s, Viking

invaders attacked many parts of Europe.

The Vikings came from what are now

Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. They

made trouble for many rulers.

During the 1000s, Europeans developed

the feudal system to provide security.

Landowners called lords built castles.

They gave land to followers called

knights. In return, the lords called on

their knights to defend them in battle.

People called serfs or peasants actually

An illustration from a book made in the

Middle Ages shows workers building roads

outside a town.

122 Middle Ages BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

farmed the land. Serfs were not much

better off than slaves.

Later Middle Ages

Conditions improved in the 1100s.

People learned to grow more nutritious

food. Health improved, and the population

grew. Towns also grew, and trade

increased.

Europeans developed the Gothic style of

art and architecture. Christians built

stately cathedrals of stone with tall towers

and stained glass. Notre Dame in

Paris is a good example of a Gothic

cathedral. There was also a rebirth of

book learning. The first European universities

were founded in Bologna, Italy;

Paris, France; and other cities.

Between 1095 and 1291, Christian

kings and knights from all over Europe

participated in a series of Crusades in

the Middle East. They went to fight

Muslims for control of places that Christians

consider to be holy.

End of the Middle Ages

The last part of the Middle Ages was a

time of trouble. England and France

fought the Hundred Years’War between

1337 and 1453. A disease called the

Black Death (bubonic plague) killed

about one third of the people in Europe

between 1347 and 1351.

Various changes led to the end of the

Middle Ages. Feudalism weakened as

Spain, France, and England became

strong countries. Printing was invented

in about 1450. This meant that books

could be produced easily and in great

numbers. Many more people therefore

had access to books and could learn to

read. Soon the Renaissance, a time of

great learning and art, was in progress.

Europeans also learned of the Americas

in 1492. The discovery led to a new

understanding of the rest of the world. It

was the first stage of the modern age.

#More to explore

Castle • Cathedral • Charlemagne

• Christianity • Crusades • Europe

• Feudalism • Holy Roman Empire

• Knight • Plague • Renaissance • Rome,

Ancient • Vikings

Middle East

The Middle East is the region around

the southern and eastern shores of the

Mediterranean Sea. It includes the countries

that are located where the continents

of Europe, Asia, and Africa meet.

Geographers and historians do not

Middle Ages is

a term that

applies only to

Europe. It is

usually not

used in reference

to Asia,

Africa, or the

Americas.

The Chartres Cathedral in France is an

example of Gothic architecture.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Middle East 123

always agree on which countries should

be included in the Middle East. People

commonly include the following countries:

Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel,

Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi

Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab

Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait,

Egypt, Libya, and Sudan.

People

Many people of the region are Arabs.

Their main language is Arabic. However,

many other peoples also live in the

Middle East. They speak many different

languages. Turks in Turkey speak Turkish.

Persians in Iran speak Farsi, or Persian.

Jews in Israel speak Hebrew.

Most people in the Middle East follow

Islam. But Christianity is common in

Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria. Judaism is

the main religion in Israel.

Economy

The Middle East contains more than

half of the world’s petroleum, or oil.

The sale of oil has made several Middle

Eastern countries very rich. Farming is

also important to many countries in the

region.

History

Great civilizations arose in the Middle

East thousands of years ago. The Egyptian

and Mesopotamian civilizations

were two of the earliest. (Mesopotamia

lay in what is now Iraq.) The powerful

Hittite kingdom developed in Anatolia

(modern Turkey) after 1900 BC. The

ancient region of Palestine was home to

the first Jewish state, the kingdom of

Israel, about 3,000 years ago.

The Persian Empire ruled much of the

Middle East by the 500s BC. The Greeks

and the Romans later took control of

the region. After the fall of Rome in the

AD 400s, the Byzantine Empire ruled the

western parts of the Middle East.

Beginning in the 600s, Muslims from

the Arabian Peninsula conquered most

of the Middle East. Muslim Turks

founded the Ottoman Empire in the

1300s. This empire ruled parts of the

Middle East into the 1900s.

AfterWorldWar I (1914–18) European

countries took control of much of the

Petroleum, or oil, is treated at a plant in

Saudi Arabia. The sale of petroleum is an

important part of the Middle East’s economy.

124 Middle East BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

area. France controlled Syria and Lebanon.

Great Britain ruled over Egypt,

Sudan, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, and

southern Yemen. The European powers

left the Middle East soon afterWorld

War II (1939–45).

The area known as Palestine had long

been home to Jews and Arabs. Many of

the Arabs were Muslims. The people of

Palestine did not agree about who

should rule the land. Great Britain

helped develop a plan to split the land

into two states, one for the Arabs and

one for the Jewish people. When the

British left in 1948 the Jews declared

their part of the land to be the new

country of Israel. Israel and its Arab

neighbors soon fought a series of wars.

Other wars—including a civil war in

Lebanon, a war between Iran and Iraq,

and the Persian GulfWar—also troubled

the Middle East. Fighting in Palestine,

Iraq, and other places continued into the

21st century.

#More to explore

Arabian Peninsula • Islam

• Mediterranean Sea • Mesopotamia

• Ottoman Empire • Palestine • Persian

GulfWar

Migration,

Animal

Many mammals, birds, fish, insects,

and other animals move from one place

to another at certain times of the year.

This movement is called migration.

Migration is part of the life cycle of

these animals.

Animals migrate for different reasons.

Many migrate to breed or to find food.

Some animals migrate to places where

they can hibernate, or rest for the winter.

Others migrate because the weather

is too hot, too cold, too wet, or too dry

during certain times of the year.

Most animals migrate across water, land,

or air. Many birds and bats in northern

parts of the world fly south for the winter.

Some whales swim from cold polar

regions to warmer waters in winter.

Other migrations are vertical, or up and

down. Mule deer in the western United

States travel from higher to lower parts

of the mountains in winter. Some earthworms

move from the top of the soil to

deeper underground.

Animals can travel a few miles or several

thousand miles. Frogs go short distances

to ponds to breed. On the other hand,

the Arctic tern spends the summer in

the Arctic and the winter in Antarctica.

This journey covers about 11,000 miles

(18,000 kilometers). Migrations can

take place either during the day or at

Herds of zebras and wildebeests cross a

river during their migration.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Migration, Animal 125

night. Birds such as geese migrate during

the day. Sparrows, warblers, and

thrushes travel by night.

Migrating animals can find their way

over long and complex routes. They use

land features such as rivers and mountains

to tell where they are. Scientists

think that many animals use the position

of the sun and stars to find the way,

too. Some animals, such as salmon, use

their sense of smell.

#More to explore

Animal • Hibernation

Migration,

Human

A long journey to a new home is called a

migration. Migrating animals generally

go back and forth between summer and

winter homes. When people migrate,

however, they often are changing homes

permanently. Much of human history is

the story of migrations.

Kinds of Migration

Some people have no permanent home.

Instead, they keep moving from place to

place. These people are usually called

nomads rather than migrants. Some

nomads move back and forth between

the summer and winter pasturelands of

their animals. Others, such as the Roma

(Gypsies), move frequently to find new

opportunities. Migrant farmworkers,

who move from farm to farm to work,

are very much like nomads.

Migration inside a country is known as

internal migration. Migration from one

country to another is called external

migration. A person who moves away

from a country is called an emigrant

from that country. A person who moves

to a country is called an immigrant to

the new country.

The promise of good jobs or farmland

lures some migrants to a new land.

Others want to get away from

mistreatment, warfare, or natural

disasters in their homeland. Sometimes

a government forces people to leave.

Migrants who have been forced to leave

their country, either by the government

or because of harsh conditions, are

called refugees.

Captive people have no say in when they

leave a country or where they go. The

African slave trade was practiced from

the 1500s to the 1800s. It brought an

estimated 20 million people to North

America, South America, and theWest

Indies. Other captive migrants included

criminals who were shipped off to a

colony as punishment. European countries

transported more than 150,000

convicts to Australia between 1788 and

1867.

History

Prehistoric and Ancient Migration

Many scientists believe that the earliest

humans lived in Africa. From there

humans eventually started moving out.

They reached Europe and Asia first.

From Asia they spread to North America

between 60,000 and 20,000 years ago.

During the

1900s, more

than 6 million

African Americans

moved

from farms in

the South to

cities in the

North.

126 Migration, Human BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

They may have crossed from Russia to

Alaska over a strip of land that is now

underwater. Over thousands of years,

people spread across North, Central, and

South America.

Other prehistoric migrants set out from

Asia in boats. They reached Australia

about 40,000 years ago. Gradually, they

reached all the large islands in the Pacific

Ocean. New Zealand was settled last,

about 1,200 years ago. Frozen Antarctica

is the only continent that migrants never

settled.

Later migrations are recorded in history.

In one of the earliest historical migrations,

the ancient Hebrews moved from

slavery in Egypt to freedom in Palestine

in the 1200s BC. Later, in the AD 300s

and 400s, a number of European tribes

invaded the mighty Roman Empire. The

invaders, whom the Romans called barbarians,

included people called Huns,

Goths, and Vandals. In 476 these

migrants brought down the Roman

empire in theWest.

Migration in the Middle Ages

Wars and conquests made people move

during the Middle Ages, from about AD

500 to about 1500. Some peoples

fought wars in order to take over new

lands. Others were forced from their

lands by the invaders. In the 600s armies

united by the religion of Islam left the

Arabian Peninsula to spread the religion.

They conquered northern Africa, western

Asia, and Spain. In the 700s a European

tribe called the Franks drove the

Saxon tribe into northern Europe.

Between the 800s and 1000s northern

Europeans called Vikings raided and

settled in western Europe. Some Vikings

who settled in France became known as

the Normans. Normans conquered

England in 1066. Starting in about

1200, a central Asian people called the

Mongols conquered much of Asia and

eastern Europe.

According to many scientists the earliest humans lived in Africa. From there humans

spread first to Europe and Asia and later to the Americas.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Migration, Human 127

Migration to the Americas

The European explorer Christopher

Columbus arrived in the Americas in

1492. Migrations from Spain, Portugal,

France, England, and the Netherlands

followed his voyage. However, the number

of immigrants from Europe was

small before 1800. The largest immigrant

group by far was enslaved Africans.

Europeans brought millions of

Africans to the Americas.

After 1800, overpopulation, wars, and

natural disasters in Europe led to a great

migration to the Americas. This was

known as the Great Atlantic Migration.

Millions of Europeans moved to Canada

and South America, but most of the

migrants went to the United States.

Germans migrated to Illinois, Missouri,

andWisconsin beginning in the 1830s.

Norwegians and Swedes arrived in the

next few decades in Minnesota,Wisconsin,

and the Dakotas. In the 1840s a

failure of the potato crop in Ireland

brought many Irish people to the United

States. Italians, Greeks, and eastern

Europeans came later. Between 1880

and 1910 about 17 million Europeans

entered the United States.

Early in the 1900s immigration to the

United States was so great that the government

began setting quotas, or limits.

These quotas limited the number of

immigrants from specific countries. The

United States used these types of quotas

until 1965.

Modern Migration

In the late 1900s many people from

Latin American countries wanted to

move north to the United States. Some

crossed U.S. borders without government

permission and became illegal

immigrants.

Early in the 21st century, Europe had

even more immigrants than North

A Muslim woman and her children make a

new home in Germany.

A great number of Europeans, such as this

Italian family, migrated to the United States

in the 1800s and early 1900s.

128 Migration, Human BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

America. Many came from African or

Middle Eastern countries. They brought

cultural change to Europe.

Meanwhile, the most common kind of

migration throughout the world was

internal migration, mainly from farming

regions into cities. As a result, cities grew

very rapidly in much of the world after

WorldWar II. This was especially true

in developing countries.

#More to explore

Nomad • Refugee • Slavery

MilkyWay

On a dark, clear night, it is usually easy

to see a dusty white band of stars

stretching across the sky. This is part of

the MilkyWay galaxy, a massive collection

of stars, dust, and clouds of gas.

The MilkyWay contains hundreds of

billions of stars. It is only one of billions

of galaxies in the universe.

The sun is one of the stars in the Milky

Way. Therefore, Earth and all the other

planets in the solar system are also in the

MilkyWay. Just as the planets revolve

around the sun, the stars in the Milky

Way revolve around its nucleus, or center.

It takes the sun about 200 million

years to travel around the nucleus of the

MilkyWay.

Viewed from above, the MilkyWay

looks like a giant pinwheel. The stars are

gathered in the flat shape of a disk, and

arms of stars spiral out from the nucleus.

The nucleus is a bulging cluster of stars.

It has a black hole at the center. A black

hole is an area with such a strong force

of gravity that nothing, not even light,

can escape from it.

The sun and its planets are located on

the inner edge of one of the MilkyWay’s

arms. The solar system is about 30,000

light-years away from the center of the

galaxy. (A light-year is the distance that

light travels in one year—about 5.8 trillion

miles, or 9.5 trillion kilometers.)

The whole galaxy is about 100,000

light-years across.

#More to explore

Galaxy • Solar System • Star • Universe

Millet

Millet is a grain that is an important

food in Asia, Russia, and western Africa.

Like corn, wheat, and other grains, millet

has seeds that can be eaten. Millet

belongs to the grass family.

The black hole

at the center of

the Milky Way

has as much

matter as

4 million suns.

The sun and Earth are parts of

the Milky Way galaxy.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Millet 129

Millet was probably first grown as a crop

in Asia or Africa more than 4,000 years

ago. Today India and Nigeria are leading

millet-producing countries.

There are several types of millet, including

pearl, proso, and foxtail. Most types

grow from 1 to 4 feet (0.3 to 1.2 meters)

tall and have thin stalks. Pearl millet is

an exception. It grows to 10 feet (3

meters) tall and has stalks about 1 inch

(2.5 centimeters) thick. Tiny groups of

flowers grow at the tops of millet stalks.

They produce the seeds, or grain.

People eat millet in porridge, a soft,

thick food made by boiling grains in

milk or water. Millet can also be prepared

and eaten much like rice. People

also grind millet into flour for making

flatbread. Farmers use millet as food for

livestock. Dried millet plants are used

for hay. Millet is used in birdseed mixtures,

too.

#More to explore

Grain • Grass

Millipede

#see Centipede and Millipede.

Mimicry

Mimicry takes place when one living

thing resembles another kind of living

thing. Mimicry helps animals and plants

in various ways. It can keep them from

being eaten or it can help them get food.

Forms of Mimicry

Mimicry helps protect some types of

butterfly in Brazil from birds. These

butterflies taste good to birds. However,

they have markings similar to those of

bad-tasting butterflies. Birds see these

markings and stay away.

Sometimes different types of dangerous

or bad-tasting living things look like

People eat the seeds, or grain, of millet

plants. Tiny flowers at the tops of the plants

produce the seeds.

The fly orchid is a type of plant

whose flower looks like a fly.

This helps the plant attract real

flies to pollinate it.

130 Millipede BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

each other. Sand wasps and yellow jackets

are different types of insect. But they

look similar, and they both have a painful

sting. After an animal attacks one of

these insects, it may learn to avoid all

similar-looking insects. For this reason,

many different stinging insects have

yellow and black stripes.

Some animals use mimicry to prey on

other creatures. The tongue of the alligator

snapping turtle looks like a worm.

The turtle lies in water with its mouth

open. When fish come over to get the

“worm,” the turtle eats them.

Animals may also use mimicry to take

advantage of other animals. The eggs of

the European cuckoo bird look like the

eggs of other birds. A female cuckoo lays

her eggs in the nests of these other birds.

When the eggs hatch, the other birds

care for the young cuckoos.

Plants can use mimicry, too. Passionflower

plants sometimes grow little

lumps that look like butterfly eggs.

These lumps keep butterflies from laying

actual eggs on the plants. In this

way, the passionflower avoids being

eaten by the caterpillars that would

develop from the eggs.

How Mimicry Happens

In any group of animals or plants, only

some survive and reproduce. Mimicry is

a trait that makes survival easier. Therefore,

many of those that have such traits

do survive, and the traits are passed on

to their offspring. After many generations,

the entire population has the useful

trait.

#More to explore

Protective Coloration

Mineral

Minerals make up Earth’s rocks, sands,

and soils. They are found on Earth’s

surface as well as deep underground.

Minerals are inorganic substances,

meaning that they do not come from an

animal or a plant.

Mineralogy is the science of minerals.

Mineralogists, or people who study minerals,

have identified about 1,500 minerals.

Some of the most common minerals

are metals—for example, gold, silver,

copper, and platinum. Diamond, quartz,

sulfur, mica, talc, and salt are other wellknown

minerals.

Properties of Minerals

Mineralogists use three main properties

to identify a mineral: color, hardness,

and cleavage. They may also use other

Salt is a common mineral. Salt can be gathered

from salt flats, or dried-up lakes where

salt has been left behind.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mineral 131

tests, including how the mineral reacts

to electricity or magnets.

Minerals come in many different colors.

They also reflect light in different ways.

Some are transparent, or see-through.

Others are iridescent, which means that

their color changes as light hits them

from different directions.

Mineralogists describe a mineral’s hardness

with the Mohs scale. The scale lists

10 typical minerals, from the softest

(talc) to the hardest (diamond). A mineral

can be identified by comparing its

hardness to the hardness of these 10

minerals.

The cleavage of a mineral is the way it

splits or breaks. Mica, for example,

breaks into thin, flat sheets.

Uses

Animals and plants need minerals to

live. For example, humans need the

mineral calcium to develop healthy

bones and teeth. Animals, including

humans, get minerals from plants or

from the milk, eggs, and meat of planteating

animals. Most plants get the minerals

they need from soil.

People also use minerals to make buildings,

machines, tools, cleaning products,

cosmetics, jewelry, and many other

items. Digging useful minerals out of

the ground is called mining.

#More to explore

Metal • Mining • Rock • Sand • Soil

Minerva

#see Athena.

Mining

Earth’s crust contains many minerals

and other materials that are useful to

people. To get these valuable natural

resources, people must dig into the

ground. The holes that they dig are

called mines. Some mines are narrow

shafts, or tunnels, that go very deep

underground. Other mines are large

open pits, like canyons. The people who

work in mines are called miners.

People dig mines to get such things as

diamonds, coal, silver, salt, and many

other materials. When a mine provides

stone for building, it is called a quarry.

Drilling into Earth for petroleum, or oil,

is another special type of mining. In this

case, the hole in the ground is called a

well, not a mine.

Mohs Hardness Scale

Hardness Mineral

softest 1 talc

2 gypsum

3 calcite

4 fluorite

5 apatite

6 orthoclase

7 quartz

8 topaz

9 corundum

hardest 10 diamond

Example: A certain mineral can be scratched

by topaz but not by quartz. Therefore, it is

softer than topaz and harder than quartz. It

has a Mohs hardness of between 7 and 8.

132 Minerva BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Making Mines

There are many ways to make a mine.

One way is by digging underground

tunnels. Another way is by removing top

layers of soil and rock to create a pit.

Tunnel mines can stretch for miles

underground. Sometimes the tunnels

open into large rooms. Miners who

work deep underground in these rooms

use large machines to dig away at the

walls. Fresh air, water, and electricity

must be lowered down to them from

aboveground.

Workers use large earth-moving

machines to make pit mines. The

machines scrape and dig at the soil until

they uncover the minerals. As the

machines dig deeper and deeper, they

create a huge hole in the ground.

Sometimes miners must use explosives,

such as dynamite, to create tunnels or to

break up Earth’s hard surface. These

explosions also break the materials into

smaller pieces so that they are easier to

collect.

Dangers of Mining

Mining is dangerous work. Tunnel

mines can cave in or quickly flood with

water. When such disasters happen,

miners may be trapped belowground.

The explosions used in mining can also

release poisonous gases.

History

People have dug mines since prehistoric

times. Hundreds of thousands of years

ago, during the Stone Age, people dug

in the ground to search for flint. Flint is

Miners drill for gold in a mine in South

Africa.

Miners may go into underground tunnels to

dig for ore (rock containing valuable minerals).

Or they may dig ore out of large pits

in the ground.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mining 133

a stone that can be used to make weapons

and tools.

The first metal to be mined was copper.

The oldest copper mines are in Egypt.

Ancient Egyptians dug these mines

about 7,000 years ago. By 5,000 years

ago, people were also mining tin and

combining it with copper to create

bronze. This metal was important for

making sturdy, long-lasting weapons and

tools. Later peoples mined iron to make

even stronger tools and weapons.

The ancient Greeks mined (quarried)

marble for many beautiful buildings.

The ancient Romans had huge mining

operations, many in lands that they conquered.

During the 1400s and 1500s the

Spanish grew rich by mining gold and

silver in the Americas.

The first mining operations in what is

now the United States started in the

1700s. Meanwhile, in Great Britain coal

mining helped to start the Industrial

Revolution. This was a time when

people began to use machines to make

goods in factories. Coal was an important

source of power for operating the

machines.

In the 1900s many countries worked to

make mining safer for miners. Today

many people are concerned about pollution

and other damage to the environment

caused by mining.

#More to explore

Bronze • Coal • Iron • Mineral

• Petroleum • Quarrying

Mink

Mink are mammals with thick, soft fur.

People sometimes use the fur to make

coats. There are two species, or types, of

mink: the European mink and the

North American mink. They are related

to weasels.

Mink have a slim, long body; a short tail;

and short legs. The body of the North

American mink is 12 to 20 inches (30 to

50 centimeters) long. Its tail is 5 to 9

inches (13 to 23 centimeters) long.

Adults may weigh up to 3.5 pounds (1.6

kilograms). The European mink is

smaller. Its body and tail together are

about 12 to 15 inches (30 to 38 centimeters)

long. Mink fur is normally brown.

Mink live near water. They swim and

dive well.Mink are active mostly at

night. They hunt fishes, birds, insects,

and small mammals. Coyotes, foxes,

wolves, and owls eat mink. When a mink

feels threatened, it gives off a bad smell.

#More to explore

Fur Trade • Mammal •Weasel

The world’s

worst mining

disaster

happened in

China in

1942. More

than 1,500

miners died.

The North American mink lives in forests in

the United States and Canada.

134 Mink BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Minnesota

The U.S. state of Minnesota is sometimes

called the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

This number is low, however: the state

actually has more than 15,000 lakes.

These lakes—along with forests, prairies,

and a variety of wildlife—make Minnesota

a place of great natural beauty.

Minnesota was named after the Minnesota

River. The river got its name from a

Dakota Sioux Indian word meaning

“sky-tinted waters.” The state capital is

Saint Paul.

Geography

Located in the north-central part of the

United States, Minnesota shares an

international border with Canada. The

state’s northern border is shaped by the

Canadian provinces of Manitoba and

Ontario. Minnesota’s other borders are

Lake Superior andWisconsin on

the east, Iowa on the south, and

South Dakota and North Dakota

on the west.

The Red River of the North flows along

the North Dakota–Minnesota border,

and the Rainy River separates the state

from Ontario. The Saint Croix and Mississippi

rivers separate Minnesota from

Wisconsin.

Minnesota has two natural regions. The

larger region covers the western and

central parts of the state. The area contains

thousands of lakes and the flat

plains of the Red River valley. East of

the valley are forests and rolling hills.

The other natural region is in northeast

Minnesota. This is a forested area of

lakes, peat bogs, and ridges. Minnesota

is known for its cold winters.

Minneapolis lies along the Mississippi River.

It is the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota.

Minneapolis and the nearby city of

Saint Paul form one large urban area.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Minnesota 135

People

Whites of European descent account for

about 90 percent of Minnesota’s population.

When the first European explorers

arrived in the 1600s, they encountered

tribes of Dakota and Ojibwa (or

Chippewa) Indians. In the mid-1800s,

settlers arrived from the eastern United

States. Later settlers included immigrants

from Norway, Sweden, Finland,

and other countries.

African Americans, Hispanics, and

Asians each represent about 3 percent of

the total population. The state’s Native

American population (mostly Ojibwa)

numbers about 55,000.

Economy

Cropland and pastures occupy nearly

half of Minnesota’s total land area. The

primary agricultural products are corn,

soybeans, wheat, and dairy products.

Food processing industries pack meat

and process dairy products. The manufacture

of metal products, machinery,

and high-technology equipment are also

valuable industries. The Minnesota

Mining & Manufacturing Company

(also called 3M) is well known for office

products such as adhesive tape and notepads.

History

Until the mid-1800s the Ojibwa lived in

the north and east of what is now Minnesota.

The Dakota lived in the south

and west. In the late 1600s, French

explorers entered Minnesota. After the

French and IndianWar (1754–63), Britain

gained control of the area. This land

became part of the United States in

1783. Another part of what would later

become Minnesota was acquired in the

Louisiana Purchase (1803).

Congress created the Minnesota

Territory in 1849, and in 1858 the

territory joined the Union as its 32nd

state. In 1862 the Dakota in the

Minnesota River valley began one of

the bloodiest Indian wars in U.S.

history. The Dakota were defeated and

forced to move westward. Settlers

poured into Minnesota after the

American Civil War (1861–65).

AfterWorldWar II (1939–45), new

industries based on minerals were developed.

In the late 20th century Saint

Paul, Minneapolis, and Duluth took

steps to make their city centers more

attractive to people and businesses.

These cities became experiments in successful

city planning and living.

..More to explore

Saint Paul • Sioux

Camping, fishing, and canoeing are popular

activities in Minnesota’s Boundary

Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Facts About

MINNESOTA

Flag

Population

(2000 census)

4,919,479—

rank, 21st state;

(2008 estimate)

5,220,393—

rank, 21st state

Capital

Saint Paul

Area

86,939 sq mi

(225,171 sq

km)—rank, 12th

state

Statehood

May 11, 1858

Motto

L’Etoile du Nord

(The Star of the

North)

State bird

Common loon

State flower

Pink-and-white

lady’s slipper

136 Minnesota BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Minoan

Civilization

..see Aegean Civilization.

Minsk

Population

(2005 estimate)

1,765,800

Minsk is the capital of Belarus, a country

in eastern Europe. It is the largest

city in Belarus. It is also a center of culture,

education, and scientific research.

Industry is very important to the

economy of Minsk. Some factories in

the city make trucks, tractors, refrigerators,

and other machines. Other factories

make electronics, clothing, and food

products. Construction also brings

money to the city.

Many times in its history Minsk suffered

from wars. Lithuania ruled the city in

the 1300s. Poland ruled it in a later

period. The Russian Empire took control

of Minsk in 1793.

In the early 1900s Minsk and the rest of

Belarus became part of the Soviet

Union. Minsk became the capital of its

region. German forces captured the city

in the 1940s, duringWorldWar II.

Fighting nearly destroyed Minsk, but it

was later rebuilt.

In 1991 Belarus became an independent

country. Minsk became its capital.

..More to explore

Belarus

Minuteman

The minutemen were groups of eager

young militiamen in Great Britain’s

American Colonies. A militia is an organized

group of citizens who defend a

community. The militias of the American

Colonies were almost as old as the

colonies themselves.

In 1774, as American colonists prepared

for war, Worcester County, Massachusetts,

reorganized its militia. Some of the

militia members were told to be ready to

fight “at a minute’s notice.” They were

An Eastern Orthodox priest blesses people

during the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday

at a church in Minsk, Belarus.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Minuteman 137

the first militiamen to be called minutemen.

Counties all over Massachusetts

soon formed minutemen units.

Paul Revere rode through the Massachusetts

countryside on April 18, 1775, to

warn the minutemen that British troops

were coming. The next morning, when

the British attacked, the minutemen of

Lexington were ready. They forced the

British to flee.

The American Revolution had begun.

As the war continued, minutemen units

were established in other colonies,

including Maryland, New Hampshire,

and Connecticut.

#More to explore

American Revolution • Revere, Paul

Mirage

A mirage is an image that looks real but

is not really there. It is caused by layers

of air being at different temperatures

and thicknesses. The differences in the

layers of air can bend light. This bending,

known as refraction, creates false

images that people often believe truly

exist.

Many mirages are seen around water or

hot, flat surfaces. For example, ships

may seem to be sailing upside down

above the horizon. One of the most

common examples of a mirage happens

on highways during the summer. A shallow

pool of water often seems to be filling

the road ahead. The reason for this

false image is that a thin layer of heated

air forms above the hot black pavement.

This hot air meets the cooler air above,

and light is bent, or refracted, where

they meet. Light refracted from the blue

sky looks like water on the ground. The

“water” disappears as the observer

approaches. A mirage similar to this one

can lead people to think they are seeing

a pool of water in the middle of a desert.

#More to explore

Desert • Light

A mirage in the desert of Namibia leads

people to see a pool of water that is not

really there.

A statue in Lexington, Massachusetts,

honors the minutemen who

fought against the British in 1775.

138 Mirage BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Mirror

A mirror is a smooth surface that shows

images of the objects near it. Most mirrors

are a sheet of glass with a shiny

metallic coating on the back.

Reflection

The appearance of an image in a mirror

is called a reflection. Reflection happens

when light hits a surface. If the light

cannot pass through the surface, it

bounces off, or reflects. Most surfaces

absorb some light and reflect some light.

Mirrors, however, reflect almost all the

light that hits them. The metallic coating

on the back causes the reflection.

When you stand in front of a mirror,

your body reflects patterns of light to

the mirror. Those patterns of light

bounce off the mirror and go back to

your eyes. Your brain then interprets, or

reads, the patterns of light as an image

of yourself in the mirror.

Types of Mirrors

Most mirrors are flat. They are called

plane mirrors. Images in a plane mirror

are reversed. For example, if you raise

your right hand while looking in a mirror,

you will appear to raise your left

hand. People use plane mirrors to check

their appearance.

Other mirrors are curved. Convex mirrors

curve outward, like a dome. They

make objects appear reversed and

smaller than their actual size. Concave

mirrors curve inward, like a bowl. At a

distance, they make objects appear

upside down. Nearby, however, objects

appear right side up and larger than

their actual size.

How Mirrors Are Made

Mirrors are made in factories with special

machinery. First, a sheet of glass is

polished smooth and cleaned. Next, the

back of the glass is covered with a thin

layer of silver, aluminum, or another

metal. Then the metal is covered with

copper, varnish, or paint to protect it

from scratches.

#More to explore

Glass • Light • Metal

Missions,

Spanish

Spanish missions were religious communities

in North America. They were set

up by missionaries from Spain during

the 1500s to the 1800s. Missionaries are

people who try to spread their religion.

Only a few

animals, such

as chimpanzees,

can figure

out that

their reflection

in a mirror is

not another

animal.

Toddlers enjoy studying their

reflection in mirrors.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Missions, Spanish 139

The Spanish missionaries wanted to get

Native Americans to practice Roman

Catholicism (a branch of Christianity

practiced in Spain).

The Spanish built missions in what

are now Florida, Texas, and other parts

of the U.S. Southwest. Beginning in

1769, they built 21 missions in what is

now California. The Spanish priest

Junipero Serra set up the first California

mission at the Spanish settlement of San

Diego.

The typical California mission was a

large, square area enclosed by stone

walls. A mission’s church rose high

above the walls. Its giant bells signaled

people to work or to pray.

Many Native Americans lived in or

around the missions. Some converted to

Catholicism. They tended crops and did

other work for the missions. But other

Native Americans refused to convert.

Some fought the Spanish. Many died

from diseases brought by the Spanish.

Mexico (which included California)

won independence from Spain in 1821.

Mexico ended the mission system and

promised to give part of the mission

lands to Native Americans. However,

ranchers and other Mexicans took over

many of the lands.

#More to explore

Americas, Exploration and Settlement of

the • California • Native Americans

California Mission Present Location Year Founded

San Diego de Alcala San Diego 1769

San Carlos Borromeo Carmel* 1770

San Antonio de Padua Jolon 1771

San Gabriel Arcangel San Gabriel 1771

San Luis Obispo de Tolosa San Luis Obispo 1772

San Francisco de Asis San Francisco 1776

San Juan Capistrano San Juan Capistrano 1776

Santa Clara de Asis Santa Clara 1777

San Buenaventura Ventura 1782

Santa Barbara Santa Barbara 1786

La Purisima Concepcion Lompoc 1787

Santa Cruz Santa Cruz 1791

Nuestra Senora de la Soledad Soledad 1791

San Jose Fremont 1797

San Juan Bautista San Juan Bautista 1797

San Miguel Arcangel San Miguel 1797

San Fernando Rey de Espana Mission Hills 1797

San Luis Rey de Francia Oceanside 1798

Santa Ines Solvang 1804

San Rafael Arcangel San Rafael 1817

San Francisco Solano Sonoma 1823

*originally founded in Monterey in 1770 but moved to Carmel in 1771

The Spanish built 21 missions in what is now the U.S. state of California.

140 Missions, Spanish BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Mississippi

The U.S. state of Mississippi got its

name from a Native American word

meaning “great waters” or “father of

waters.” The water described is the great

Mississippi River, which forms the

state’s western border. Mississippi’s nickname

is the Magnolia State. The capital

is Jackson.

Geography

Mississippi is located in the southeastern

United States. The Mississippi River

separates western Mississippi from Louisiana

and Arkansas. Louisiana also borders

Mississippi on the southwest. To

the east is Alabama and to the north is

Tennessee. The Gulf of Mexico lies to

the southeast.

Mississippi is a low and fairly flat

state. It has two major natural

regions: the Mississippi floodplain and

the coastal plain. The Mississippi floodplain,

along the western edge of the

state, was built up by silt carried downstream

by the Mississippi River. The

coastal plain covers most of the state and

consists of smaller regions of hills and

plains.

People

Early settlers in Mississippi were French

and Spanish. In the late 1700s and early

1800s the region was populated by

English, Irish, and Scottish settlers.

Today whites of European descent make

up about three fifths of the population.

About one third of the people are African

Americans. Hispanic Americans,

Asians, and Native Americans make up

smaller groups.

Economy

Mississippi’s soil and climate are well

suited for farming. Cotton and soybeans

A riverboat travels along the Mississippi

River near Natchez, Mississippi.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mississippi 141

are primary crops. Chickens and cattle

are the most important livestock.

Shrimp and catfish are valuable. The

shrimp are caught in the gulf, but most

of the catfish are raised in artificial

ponds. The state’s many forests provide

trees for wood products such as lumber

and furniture. Other major areas in Mississippi’s

economy include government

operations, social services, commercial

trade, banking, real estate, construction,

and trucking.

History

The Choctaw were the largest Native

American tribe living in the Mississippi

area before Europeans arrived. Spanish

explorer Hernando de Soto visited the

region in 1540. In 1682 the French

explorer Sieur de La Salle claimed the

territory for France. The first

permanent European settlement was

built in 1699.

By 1812 the United States had obtained

all of the land that forms present-day

Mississippi. Mississippi joined the

Union as the 20th state in 1817. The

years after 1820 were marked by the

creation of the cotton plantation system.

This consisted of large farms called plantations

that depended on slave labor to

keep operating. In 1861 Mississippi

withdrew from the Union because its

leaders were afraid the government

would outlaw slavery. Mississippi joined

other Southern states in forming the

Confederate States of America.

The American Civil War (1861–65)

turned Mississippi into a battlefield.

One of the state’s harshest battles was

fought at Vicksburg in 1863. After the

Confederacy’s defeat, Mississippi was

readmitted to the United States in

1870.

Like many other states, Mississippi

experienced racial problems. Despite

the end of slavery, African American

residents were denied some of the

opportunities available to whites. The

civil rights movement of the 1960s

made an impact on Mississippi and

helped to change the way African

Americans were treated.

New industries developed in Mississippi

during the last quarter of the 20th century.

The state made significant economic

progress in the 1990s. Average

incomes grew and the poverty level

dropped. Nevertheless, Mississippi

remained one of the poorest states in the

nation in the early 21st century.

..More to explore

American CivilWar • Civil Rights

Movement • Jackson

A home built in the 1800s (right) and a

Presbyterian church stand side by side in

Biloxi, Mississippi.

Facts About

MISSISSIPPI

Flag

Population

(2000 census)

2,844,658—

rank, 31st state;

(2008 estimate)

2,938,618—

rank, 31st state

Capital

Jackson

Area

48,430 sq mi

(125,434 sq

km)—rank, 32nd

state

Statehood

December 10,

1817

Motto

Virtute et Armis

(By Valor and

Arms)

State bird

Mockingbird

State flower

Magnolia

142 Mississippi BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Mississippian

Culture

In about AD 800 groups of Native

Americans developed a culture along the

Mississippi River and in what is now the

southeastern United States. This Mississippian

culture is best known for building

mounds of earth. The culture ended

by about 1700, but many of the mounds

still stand.

The Mississippians lived in both large

and small communities. Chiefs ruled

towns or regions, called chiefdoms. The

chiefs were also religious leaders. Chiefdoms

had contact with each other

through wars, trade, and alliances.

The people were mainly farmers who

grew corn and other crops. They also

produced pottery and detailed carvings.

They used stone, shell, wood, and copper

to make headdresses, masks, weapons,

and other items.

Every Mississippian chiefdom had one

or more mounds of earth, usually at the

center of town. Some mounds were

small and round. Others were large

pyramids or platforms. The chief’s home

always sat at the top of a mound.

The largest Mississippian mound is

Monks Mound, which is a part of the

Cahokia Mounds in southern Illinois.

Monks Mound measures about 1,000

feet (300 meters) long and 700 feet (200

meters) wide. It stands about 100 feet

(30 meters) high.

The Mississippian culture had already

begun to weaken when European

explorers arrived in the 1500s. Many

Mississippians then died of diseases

brought by the Europeans. The last

people of the Mississippian culture were

probably the Natchez.

#More to explore

Mound Builder • Natchez • Native

Americans

Mississippi River

The Mississippi is North America’s

longest river. Native Americans gave the

Mississippi its name, which means

“father of waters.” The writings of Mark

Twain have made the river a part of U.S.

legend.

Geography

The Mississippi River begins at Lake

Itasca in northern Minnesota and flows

south, passing Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Near Saint Louis, Missouri, the Missis-

Mississippians made gorgets, or jewelry

that hangs around the neck, from shell.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mississippi River 143

sippi is joined by the muddy Missouri

River. Farther along, at Cairo, Illinois,

the Mississippi meets the mighty Ohio

River. The Mississippi flows into the

Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans,

Louisiana.

The Mississippi River alone is 2,350

miles (3,780 kilometers) long. If the

length of the Missouri River system is

added, the Mississippi flows for 3,710

miles (5,971 kilometers). By that measure,

the Mississippi is the world’s

fourth longest river.

Animals

Millions of ducks, geese, and swans

move along the Mississippi during their

spring and autumn migrations. The path

they follow is called the Mississippi Flyway.

Common fish in the river include

catfish, walleye, and carp.

Economy

The Mississippi River has a long history

of trade. Today it is one of the busiest

commercial water routes in the world.

Products shipped on the river include

oil, coal, iron, steel, chemicals, and grain

from Midwestern farms.

A tugboat pushes barges on the Mississippi River in Louisiana. Barges are boats that carry

goods along rivers and other waterways.

144 Mississippi River BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

History

The first European to explore the Mississippi

was Hernando de Soto of Spain.

He entered the river from the Gulf of

Mexico in 1541. The French explorers

Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet traveled

part of the way down the river in

1673. Another French explorer, La Salle,

reached the mouth in 1682. He claimed

the entire Mississippi region for France.

In 1803 France sold the land to the

United States in the Louisiana Purchase.

#More to explore

Louisiana Purchase • Missouri River

• Ohio River • Twain, Mark

Missouri

The Missouri were a Native American

people whose homeland was the northcentral

part of what is now the state of

Missouri. The state takes its name from

these people.

The Missouri got their food by farming,

hunting, and gathering wild plants.

After the fall harvest they left their villages

to hunt deer. When they were

introduced to horses the Missouri used

them to travel to the Great Plains to

hunt bison (buffalo).

The Missouri were once part of a large

Native American group called the Winnebago

who lived in the Great Lakes

region. Long ago a group of these Indians

moved southwest and split into three

tribes. These were the Oto, the Iowa,

and the Missouri.

In 1673 French explorers entered the

lands of the Missouri. The Missouri

became trading partners of the French.

In the late 1700s and early 1800s, wars

with other tribes caused the Missouri to

scatter. Many settled among their Oto

and Iowa relatives.

In 1817 and 1854 the U.S. government

forced the Missouri and the Oto to sign

agreements to give up most of their

land. In the 1880s they were forced to

move to a reservation in Indian Territory

(now Oklahoma). There they became

known as the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of

Oklahoma. By the end of the 20th century

there were about 1,500 Otoe-

Missouria in the United States.

#More to explore

Iowa • Native Americans • Oto

•Winnebago

Leaders of the Missouri people

wore necklaces made from

beads and bear claws.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Missouri 145

Missouri

The U.S. state of Missouri got its

name from a Native American

tribe that once lived in the area. The

French gave the name to the local river,

and it was later transferred to the state.

Missouri is often called the Show Me

State. The nickname probably came

from CongressmanWillard D. Vandiver.

In an 1899 speech he said, “I’m from

Missouri, and you’ve got to show me.”

The state capital is Jefferson City.

Geography

Missouri is nearly in the center of the

United States. Eight states border Missouri:

Iowa on the north; Nebraska,

Kansas, and Oklahoma on the west;

Arkansas on the south; and Tennessee,

Kentucky, and Illinois on the east. The

Missouri River forms the northwest

boundary, while the Mississippi River

runs along the eastern border.

North of the Missouri River, the state’s

landscape consists of gently rolling hills,

open plains, and prairie country. South

of the river the land is mostly rough

and hilly. The state’s southeastern

corner is part of the Mississippi River

floodplain.

People

White people of European heritage now

make up more than four fifths of Missouri’s

population. Many early settlers in

the state were from the eastern United

States. Others were immigrants from

European countries such as Germany,

Great Britain, and France. About 11

percent of the current population is

African American.

Saint Louis, Missouri, is famous for its Gateway

Arch. The arch was built in the early

1960s. It is a monument to the people who

used Saint Louis as a starting point for

exploring and settling the western United

States.

146 Missouri BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Economy

Missouri is known as a manufacturing

state.Major manufacturing areas include

transportation equipment and food

processing. Cars, trucks, and airplanes are

all built in the state.Hallmark Cards, the

company that creates greeting cards, has

its headquarters in Kansas City. Service

industries such as government operations,

real estate, commercial trade, health care,

and finance are vital to the state’s

economy. Leading agricultural products

are cattle, hogs, soybeans, and corn.

History

Native Americans of the Fox, Sauk, Missouri,

and Osage tribes lived in the area

when European explorers first arrived.

In 1682 the French explorer called the

Sieur de La Salle claimed the area for

France. The first permanent white settlement

was established in 1735.

In 1803 the United States purchased a

large area from France. It was known as

the Louisiana Purchase. The region that is

now the state ofMissouri was part of that

area. In 1804 the city of Saint Louis was

the starting point of the famous Lewis

and Clark Expedition. The expedition

was sent out to explore the area of the

Louisiana Purchase.Missouri became a

territory in 1812 and a state in 1821.

WhenMissouri wanted to become a state

it faced a problem because of the issue of

slavery. People in the territory owned

slaves. ThereforeMissouri would be a

slave state. Some people in the United

States Congress did not wantMissouri to

become a state because there were an

even number of slave and free states at

the time. The problem was solved by a

law known as theMissouri Compromise.

The compromise was this:Missouri

would join the Union as a slave state and

Maine would enter as a free state.

Although Missouri was a slave state, it

did not join the Confederacy with other

slave states during the American Civil

War (1861–65). Federal troops were

brought in to make sure that Missouri

remained in the Union.

In 1904 the state hosted a world’s fair

called the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

It marked the hundredth anniversary

of the purchase. The state remained

mostly rural until the early 1940s. DuringWorldWar

II (1939–45) manufacturing

grew in the state. This led many

people to leave farms and towns for cities.

Gradually, manufacturing and service

industries became the most

important parts of Missouri’s economy.

..More to explore

American CivilWar • Jefferson City

• Lewis and Clark Expedition • Missouri

Compromise

The Missouri River winds through the countryside

near Saint Albans, Missouri.

Facts About

MISSOURI

Flag

Population

(2000 census)

5,595,211—

rank, 17th state;

(2008 estimate)

5,911,605—

rank, 18th state

Capital

Jefferson City

Area

69,704 sq mi

(180,533 sq

km)—rank, 21st

state

Statehood

August 10, 1821

Motto

Salus Populi

Suprema Lex Esto

(The Welfare of

the People Shall

Be the Supreme

Law)

State bird

Bluebird

State flower

Hawthorn

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Missouri 147

Missouri

Compromise

The Missouri Compromise was an

agreement passed by the U.S. Congress

in 1820. It allowed Missouri to become

the 24th state in the United States. It

also began the conflict over the spread of

slavery that led to the American Civil

War (1861–65).

In the early 1800s Missouri was still a

territory. In 1818 it applied to Congress

to become a state. At that time there

were 11 free states and 11 slave states in

the United States. The admission of

Missouri as a slave state would upset the

balance of states.

In 1819 Maine also applied to be a state.

Henry Clay, a member of Congress

from Kentucky, then came up with a

compromise. Congress agreed to admit

Maine as a free state and Missouri as a

slave state. The compromise also banned

slavery from any future territories or

states north of the southern border of

Missouri.

The Missouri Compromise stayed in

effect for more than 30 years. It was

broken by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of

1854, which allowed slavery north of

the Missouri Compromise line.

#More to explore

American CivilWar • Kansas-Nebraska

Act • Slavery

Missouri River

The Missouri River flows for 2,315

miles (3,726 kilometers) through the

central United States. It is nearly as long

as the Mississippi River, which it joins at

its mouth. Together the Missouri and

the Mississippi form a river system that

is 3,710 miles (5,971 kilometers) long.

Only three rivers in the world are longer.

The Missouri River begins in the Rocky

Mountains of southwestern Montana. It

Congressman Henry Clay came up with the

idea for the Missouri Compromise.

148 Missouri Compromise BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

first flows north and then turns eastward.

It passes through or along the

borders of North Dakota, South

Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and

Missouri. It meets the Mississippi River

just north of Saint Louis, Missouri.

The Missouri once carried a huge

amount of soil all through its course. It

was called the Big Muddy because of its

brown water. Today, however, dams trap

much of the soil in the upper part of the

river. The lower part of the river is

cleaner.

Barges pushed by tugboats move cargo

on the Missouri River between Sioux

City, Iowa, and the river’s mouth. Dams

keep barge traffic from going farther

north than Sioux City. The barges carry

corn, soybeans, and wheat from farms in

the area.

The first Europeans to see the mouth of

the Missouri were the French explorers

Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet, in

1673. French fur traders traveled

upstream in the 1700s. The United

States bought almost all the land drained

by the Missouri from France in 1803.

The U.S. explorers Meriwether Lewis

and William Clark traveled up and

down the river during their famous

expedition of 1804–06.

#More to explore

Jolliet, Louis • Lewis and Clark

Expedition • Marquette, Jacques

• Mississippi River

Miwok

The Native Americans known as the

Miwok (or Mewuk) traditionally lived

in central California. There were several

different groups of Miwok. The largest

group was the Sierra Miwok, who lived

in the western foothills of the Sierra

Nevada mountains. The Sierra Miwok

had more than 100 villages when Europeans

arrived in their territory.

The Miwok lived in large, earth-covered

houses. Some Miwok also made simple

shelters called lean-tos from bark. The

Miwok fished and hunted birds, deer,

The Missouri River winds through a canyon

in Montana.

A Southern Miwok woman holds up a sifting

basket in about 1924.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Miwok 149

and other game with bows and arrows.

They also gathered nuts, berries, and

roots.

By the early 1800s Spanish priests and

soldiers had started to build missions in

Miwok territory. The Spanish forced

some Miwok to live and work at the

missions. In addition, Russian traders

who came from the north sometimes

attacked the Miwok.

In 1848 gold was discovered in California.

Gold-seeking Americans rushed to

California and took over Miwok lands.

The settlers killed many Miwok.

The surviving Miwok scattered.Without

land, many gave up their old way of

life. They moved from place to place

looking for work, often on farms or

ranches. At the end of the 20th century

there were about 3,000 Miwok.

#More to explore

Missions, Spanish • Native Americans

Mockingbird

Mockingbirds are songbirds known for

imitating the songs of other birds. The

common, or northern, mockingbird

may learn the songs of more than 30

other kinds of birds. It may also imitate

such sounds as the cackling of a hen or

the barking of a dog. Mockingbirds sing

their own musical songs, too.

Mockingbirds live in bushy areas and

suburbs in the Americas. The common

mockingbird is found in the United

States and Mexico. The blue mockingbird

lives in Mexico. Several other species,

or types, of mockingbird live in

Central and South America.

Mockingbirds are medium-sized birds

with slim bodies and long tails. They are

mostly gray or brownish. Common

mockingbirds are about 10.5 inches (27

centimeters) long.

The bill of a mockingbird is strong and

slender, with a slight downward curve.

Mockingbirds use their bills to eat

insects, seeds, and berries.

Mockingbirds strongly defend their territory.

In fact, many types will attack

dogs, cats, or even humans whom they

see as a threat.

#More to explore

Bird • Songbird

Like the

nightingale

(another bird

that is famous

for its singing),

the mockingbird

often

sings at night.

A common mockingbird perches on a cactus

in the U.S. state of Texas.

150 Mockingbird BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Modoc

..see Klamath and Modoc.

Mogadishu

Population

(2007 estimate)

1,100,000

Mogadishu is the capital of Somalia, a

country in northeastern Africa. It is the

country’s largest city. It is also a major

port on the Indian Ocean. Mogadishu is

an ancient city that enjoyed wealth and

power long ago. But it was seriously

damaged during a civil war in the late

20th and early 21st centuries. The war

also hurt the city’s economy.

Arab settlers founded Mogadishu in the

900s. It grew into a wealthy trading city.

In the 1500s Mogadishu began to

decline. Rulers from local kingdoms

took control of the city.

Italy took over Mogadishu and the surrounding

area in the late 1800s. The city

later became the capital of the colony

called Italian Somaliland.

In 1960 Somalia became an independent

country with Mogadishu as its

capital. Different groups began fighting

for control of Somalia in the 1990s.

Much of the fighting took place in

Mogadishu.

..More to explore

Somalia

Mohawk

The Mohawk were one of the five original

Native American tribes of the Iroquois

Confederacy. The confederacy was

a group of tribes that lived in upper

New York State and spoke similar languages.

The Mohawk originally lived in

what is now the Mohawk River valley.

Like the other Iroquois tribes, the

Mohawk lived in longhouses. Longhouses

were large, barn-shaped homes

made from wooden frames covered with

bark. A longhouse was big enough to

house several families. The Mohawk

grew corn, beans, and squash. They

fished in the summer and hunted in the

fall and winter.

In the early 1600s Europeans from

England and the Netherlands began

arriving in Mohawk territory. The

Despite a civil war, children still go to

school in Mogadishu, Somalia.

During the

1900s,

Mohawk men

became

famous for

their skill as

construction

workers on

skyscrapers.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mohawk 151

Mohawk traded furs with them for

metal tools, guns, and other goods. In

the 1630s and 1640s smallpox and other

diseases brought by the Europeans killed

two thirds of the Mohawk.

During the American Revolution

(1775–83) Mohawk warriors helped

English troops fight the American colonists.

When the Americans won the war,

some Mohawk moved to Canada. In the

early 21st century thousands of Mohawk

people lived in the Canadian provinces

of Quebec and Ontario. Others lived in

the U.S. state of New York.

#More to explore

American Revolution • Iroquois

• Native Americans

Mohegan

The Mohegan are a Native American

people who originally lived in what is

now eastern Connecticut. When English

settlers arrived in their territory the

Mohegan became friends of the settlers.

Because of this the Mohegan became the

most powerful tribe in southern New

England in the late 1600s.

The Mohegan lived in dome-shaped

homes called wigwams. They fished,

farmed, and hunted. The Mohegan’s

most important crop was corn. They

also grew beans and squash.

In the early 1600s European settlers

began arriving in New England. At the

time the Mohegan were under the control

of Sassacus, a chief of the neighboring

Pequot tribe. The Mohegan

eventually rebelled against Sassacus and

became independent. The leader of the

rebellion was named Uncas. He made

the Mohegan tribe stronger by forming

an alliance with the English.

In 1637 English settlers started a war

against the Pequot. Most of the Pequot

were killed. The Mohegan took over

most of the Pequot lands. The Mohegan

A large boulder called Cochegan Rock is

important to the Mohegan people. It is

thought to be where the leader Uncas held

tribal councils, or meetings. It is located in

the eastern part of the state of Connecticut.

Joseph Brant was a Mohawk

chief who supported the British

during the American Revolution.

152 Mohegan BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

grew even more powerful after the

English nearly destroyed neighboring

Native American tribes in King Philip’s

War (1675–76).

Despite their success the Mohegan

population declined. Many of the

Mohegan began dying of diseases

brought by the Europeans, such as

smallpox and measles. In addition,

English settlers turned on their former

allies and took the Mohegan’s land. At

the end of the 20th century there were

only about 1,100 Mohegan living in the

United States.

..More to explore

King Philip’sWar • Measles • Native

Americans • Pequot • Smallpox

Mohican

The Mohican (or Mahican) are Native

Americans who originally lived in what

is now northern New York State. Their

land ran along the Hudson River. Today

most Mohican live in northeasternWisconsin.

The Mohican traditionally lived in rectangular,

bark-covered homes called longhouses.

Longhouses were big enough for

several families. Groups of longhouses

made up villages. Some villages were

protected by stockades, or fences of

sharp stakes.

The Mohican grew corn, beans, and

squash. They gathered wild plant foods,

including the sweet syrup of the maple

tree. They also hunted and fished.

Dutch traders came to Mohican lands in

the early 1600s. The Dutch became

allies of the Mohawk, who were enemies

of the Mohican. The Mohawk got guns

from the Dutch and forced the Mohican

from their homeland. Many Mohican

joined other tribes. One group of Mohican

moved to what is now Stockbridge,

Massachusetts. They became known as

the Stockbridge Indians.

The Stockbridge fought with the

Americans in the American Revolution

(1775–83). But after the war the U.S.

government let settlers take over the

tribe’s territory. The Stockbridge moved

west. Eventually they settled in

Wisconsin. There they were joined by

the Munsee, a group of Delaware

(Lenni Lenape) Indians. In 1856 the

U.S. government gave the Stockbridge

and Munsee Indians a reservation in

Wisconsin. At the end of the 20th

century more than 2,300 Stockbridge-

Munsee lived in Wisconsin.

..More to explore

Delaware • Mohawk • Native Americans

The Mohican used stones to grind corn into

meal.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mohican 153

Moldova

Moldova is a small country in eastern

Europe. Its capital is Chisinau.

Geography

Moldova is in the northeastern corner of

the Balkan Peninsula. Ukraine and

Romania surround the country. The

land is a hilly plain with rich, black soil.

Moldova has warm summers and mild

winters.

Plants and Animals

Forests cover northern and central

Moldova.Wild boars, hares, wolves,

foxes, badgers, wildcats, and deer live in

the forests.

People

Moldovans make up about half of the

country’s population. Other groups

include Ukrainians, Russians, Bulgarians,

Roma (Gypsies), Gagauz (a Turkic

people), and Jews.

Economy

Agriculture is important to Moldova’s

struggling economy. Sugar beets, wheat,

corn, grapes, sunflower seeds, and

tobacco are the leading crops. Sheep,

pigs, and cattle are the main livestock.

Moldova’s industries process many farm

products, including wine, sugar, dairy

products, meat, and fruit. Factories also

make tractors and clothing.

History

Moldova was originally called Bessarabia.

In the 1400s it joined Moldavia, a

region that later became the country of

Romania. In 1940 the Soviet Union

took Bessarabia from Romania. It made

Bessarabia the Moldavian Soviet Socialist

Republic. In 1991 the republic

gained independence as Moldova.

..More to explore

Balkan Peninsula • Chisinau • Romania

Grapevines grow near Tiraspol, Moldova.

Facts About

MOLDOVA

Population

(2008 estimate)

3,760,000

Area

13,068 sq mi

(33,845 sq km)

Capital

Chisinau

Form of

government

Republic

Major cities

Chisinau, Tiraspol,

Balti,

Tighina

154 Moldova BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Mole

Moles are small mammals that are

known for digging tunnels. There are

more than 40 species, or types, of mole.

They can be found in Europe, Asia, and

North America.

Most moles are built for digging. Their

bodies are cylindrical, or tube-shaped,

and they generally have short tails. They

range in length from about 1.2 inches (3

centimeters) to almost 9 inches (22.5

centimeters) without their tails. The

head is flat and pointed, and the nose is

long and piglike. They have hairs on

their noses and tails that are very sensitive.

These help to guide them through

the darkness. Moles have short front legs

with wide, flat feet. The feet have five

toes, each with a long, sharp claw.

Moles make tunnels by “swimming”

through the soil. They push their feet

forward and then out to the side, moving

the dirt back. Moles sometimes

make two separate tunnels. Tunnels just

under the ground are for feeding and

resting. Some moles also dig deeper tunnels

about 10 feet (3 meters) underground.

These lead to the mole’s home.

In digging these deep tunnels, moles

push up the dirt, making little hills

above ground called molehills.

Some moles spend time aboveground or

in water. These include shrew moles and

moles called desmans.

Moles have big appetites. Most moles

eat earthworms, insects, and other foods

that they find while traveling through

their tunnels.

#More to explore

Mammal

Molecule

A molecule is the smallest unit of a substance

that has all the properties of that

substance. For instance, a water molecule

is the smallest unit that is still

water. A water molecule can be divided

into tiny parts called atoms. This produces

two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen

atom. But these atoms alone do not

have the properties of water.

Molecules and Elements

The chemical elements are the

substances of which all matter is made.

That is, everything in the world is

A mole’s wide, flat front feet and sharp

claws help it dig through soil.

A water molecule contains two atoms of

hydrogen (H) and one atom of oxygen (O).

Scientists have different ways of drawing

molecules to show how they are made.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Molecule 155

either a pure element or a combination

of two or more elements. The

molecules of pure elements contain

only one type of atom. For example,

the molecules of the element iron

consist only of iron atoms.

A few elements have molecules that are

made of a single atom. For instance, a

molecule of helium gas consists of one

helium atom. But most elements have

molecules that contain at least two

atoms joined together. For example, a

molecule of oxygen gas consists of two

oxygen atoms.

Molecules and Compounds

Other molecules contain atoms of two

or more different elements. A substance

made of such molecules is called a

chemical compound.Water is a chemical

compound because its molecules

have two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen

atom. The sugar called glucose is

another chemical compound. Each glucose

molecule contains 6 carbon atoms,

12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen

atoms. Some very complex molecules in

living cells are made up of hundreds of

thousands of atoms.

How Molecules Are Formed

Strong chemical bonds hold the atoms

in a molecule together. The bonds are

formed when atoms share particles

called electrons. Electrons are found

either alone or in pairs in the outer part

of atoms. When two atoms with

unpaired electrons approach each other,

the unpaired electrons may form a pair.

Both atoms then share the pair. This

holds the atoms together.

#More to explore

Atom • Chemical Element • Chemistry

• Matter

Mollusk

A mollusk is a kind of animal with a

soft body. Most mollusks have a hard

shell that protects the body. There are

more than 100,000 species, or types, of

mollusk. Octopuses, oysters, snails, and

squid are just a few examples.

Where Mollusks Live

Mollusks can be found throughout the

world. Most live in the sea, but others

live in freshwater. Some like shallow

water along the coast. Others prefer

deep water. Many mollusks dig into

sandy or muddy bottoms. Some attach

themselves to rocks.

Some snails and slugs live on land. They

prefer cool, moist places. But they also

can be found in cold regions and in dry

deserts.

Squid are awake and active at night in the

water.

A molecule is

constantly in

motion. Its

atoms rotate

and vibrate

around one

another.

156 Mollusk BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Physical Features

Mollusks vary a lot in their features.

Even mollusks of the same type can be

very different. For example, the giant

squid can be more than 60 feet (18

meters) long. But some other squid are

less than an inch (2.5 centimeters) long.

Mollusks are invertebrates, meaning that

they do not have a backbone. They have

a soft body that holds the heart, liver,

digestive system, and other important

organs. Most mollusks have a mouth

structure called a radula. The radula is

sort of like a rough tongue with lots of

tiny teeth.

A mollusk’s soft body has a covering

called the mantle. In most kinds of mollusk,

the mantle makes a shell. Some

mollusks, such as snails, have a single,

solid shell. Other mollusks, called

bivalves, have a shell with two halves

that can close together for protection.

Oysters and clams are bivalves. Some

mollusks, such as octopuses and squid,

do not have a shell.

Most mollusks with shells have a “foot.”

The foot moves them forward by

expanding and contracting muscles.

Some bivalves, however, do not move.

They stay attached to rocks or other

hard surfaces. Octopuses, squid, and

cuttlefish move by forcing water out of a

funnel-shaped structure on their body.

Behavior

Many mollusks eat mostly algae. They

use the radula to scrape algae off rocks.

But larger mollusks have a greater

appetite. Snails and slugs eat plants and

fruit. Squid may eat fish and shrimp.

An octopus can go after prey as large as

a shark.

Mollusks usually are active at night. For

instance, octopuses stay in the deep

parts of the ocean during the day. At

dawn and dusk they swim closer to the

surface looking for food.

Many mollusks hide from enemies in

their shells. But mollusks without shells

need other ways to protect themselves.

For example, squid and octopuses

change color and patterns to blend into

their surroundings.

Reproduction

Some mollusks bear live young, but

most reproduce by laying eggs. There

may be one egg, several eggs, or thousands

of eggs. The babies of some mollusks

look like small adults when they

hatch. Others hatch in a wormlike form

called larvae.

#More to explore

Bivalve • Octopus • Shell • Snail and

Slug • Squid

Mussels have hard shells with two halves

that can close to keep them safe.

A mollusk

called the

giant squid is

the largest

living

invertebrate,

or animal

without a

backbone.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mollusk 157

Monaco

Only one nation in the world, Vatican

City, is smaller than the tiny European

country of Monaco. Monaco is so small

that it does not have a capital or any

other separate cities. The country is a

principality, which means that a prince

is the ruler.

Geography

The Mediterranean Sea forms Monaco’s

southeastern border. France surrounds

the country on all other sides. Monaco is

about 5 miles (8 kilometers) west of the

border between France and Italy. It lies

within the coastal area called the French

Riviera.

Buildings and roads cover almost all of

the land. The Rock of Monaco is a piece

of high land that sticks out into the sea.

It contains the royal palace and a Roman

Catholic cathedral. Palm trees, evergreen

shrubs, and flowering plants grow in

Monaco’s gardens.

People

The citizens of Monaco are called the

Monegasque. However, most of the

people who live in Monaco are citizens

of France or Italy. The main language is

French. Roman Catholicism is the

national religion.

Economy

Monaco’s chief industry is tourism.

Many rich tourists visit the famous gambling

casino in the section of Monaco

called Monte-Carlo. Tourists also enjoy

Monaco’s beaches and harbor and the

city’s famous automobile races. Banking

and financial services are important to

the economy as well. The citizens of

Monaco do not pay taxes on the money

they earn.

History

The Grimaldi family from Genoa, Italy,

took control of Monaco in 1297. The

head of the family took the title of

prince in 1659. In 1911 one of the

Grimaldi princes, Albert I, gave Monaco

a constitution. His great-grandson,

Rainier III, married Grace Kelly, a U.S.

movie star, in 1956. After Rainier III’s

death in 2005, his son, Albert II,

became prince.

..More to explore

Mediterranean Sea

The tiny country of Monaco has a busy harbor

on the Mediterranean Sea.

Facts About

MONACO

Population

(2008 estimate)

34,300

Area

0.75 sq mi (1.95

sq km)

Capital

The principality is

a single administrative

unit. No

separate area

within it is distinguished

as the

capital.

Form of

government

Constitutional

monarchy

158 Monaco BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Monarchy

A monarchy is a form of government

that has a single person known as a

monarch at its head. Monarchs use such

titles as king, queen, emperor, or

empress. Monarchies were once common

throughout the world, but now

they are rare.

Monarchs generally reign for life. Also,

most monarchies are hereditary. This

means that when the monarch dies, a

son, daughter, or other relative becomes

the next monarch. However, some early

monarchs were elected. Germany’s Holy

Roman Empire continued this tradition.

Forms of Monarchy

There are several kinds of monarchy. In

an absolute monarchy, the monarch

rules with unlimited power. Absolute

monarchy is less common today than

constitutional monarchy. A constitutional,

or limited, monarchy has an

elected government that runs the country.

The monarch has very little power.

History

Monarchies have existed since people

first started forming civilizations. In

early times some peoples, such as the

ancient Egyptians, saw their monarchs

as godlike or as actual gods. Beginning

in the 1500s many European monarchs

claimed that their power came directly

from God. This idea was called the

divine right of kings.

By the 1700s, however, more and more

citizens had come to see monarchs not

as divine rulers but as brutal tyrants. In

1776 the American Colonies broke away

from the British monarchy. They formed

a republic—a country ruled by the

people. As more colonies around the

world gained independence, they almost

always ended up as republics and not

monarchies. WorldWar I (1914–18)

brought an end to important European

monarchies, including those of Russia,

Germany, and Austria-Hungary.

Today monarchies survive in the United

Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands,

Morocco, Jordan, Japan, and several

other countries. These are all

constitutional monarchies. Stronger

forms of monarchy exist in Saudi Arabia

and Swaziland.

#More to explore

Government • Republic

Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev sits on a

special chair after becoming king of Nepal

in 2001. The chairs of monarchs are often

called thrones.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Monarchy 159

Monet, Claude

Claude Monet was a French artist

known for painting in the style called

impressionism. Monet was famous during

his lifetime, and his paintings

remain popular today. They are on display

in art museums around the world.

Claude Monet was born on November

14, 1840, in Paris, France. He drew and

painted as a young man. In the 1860s he

became friends with other artists,

including Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The

group of artists became known as the

impressionists because of Monet’s painting

called Impression: Sunrise.

Most of Monet’s subjects were from

nature. Like other impressionists, he was

fascinated by the way light and shadows

change during the day. He often painted

the same scene again and again to show

all the variations of light and shadow.

In the 1880s Monet settled in Giverny,

outside of Paris. There he painted one of

his most famous series of paintings,

called Water Lilies. Monet died on

December 5, 1926, in Giverny.

Money

Whenever people pay for goods or services,

they use some form of money.

Money can be almost anything, as long

as everyone agrees on its value. One of

the earliest forms of money was metal,

such as gold or silver. In North America,

Native Americans used beads made of

shell, called wampum, as a form of

money.

How MoneyWorks

People used to pay for things through

barter, or trading. But each trading partner

had to have something that the

other one wanted. And the two things

had to be of equal value. Modern living

would be impossible under this system.

People invented money to avoid barter.

In a money system, a buyer does not

Claude Monet stands beside two of his

paintings.

Different countries have different currencies,

or kinds of money. The money of the United

States is called the dollar.

160 Monet, Claude BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

have to have something that the seller

happens to need. The seller will always

accept payment in money, because the

seller can use the same money later to

buy almost anything.

Today the metal coins and pieces of

paper that people use for money have

little real value. In other words, people

do not use the paper for writing or the

metal for making tools. The value of

paper money and coins comes from an

agreement between all people. They

agree that they will accept certain forms

of money in exchange for their goods

and services. This agreement between

people is the reason money works.

History

People have used money for more than

4,000 years. In the 600s BC the kingdom

of Lydia in what is now Turkey began to

make coins. It was probably the first

government to do so. These coins were a

combination of silver and gold, called

electrum. Many ancient peoples, including

the Greeks and the Romans, also

used coins.

The first types of paper money were

used in China more than 1,000 years

ago. Early paper money was simply a

written promise to pay a certain amount

of gold or silver money. The paper

money was valuable because it could be

traded for gold or silver. Later, governments

began printing paper money. In

the 1900s most governments made

paper money valuable on its own. It no

longer stood for gold or silver. Today

people often exchange money electronically,

through computers.

#More to explore

Trade

Mongol Empire

The Mongol people were a group of

tribes from the grasslands of central

Asia. In the early 1200s a warrior named

Genghis Khan united the tribes and

built a mighty empire. At the height of

its power, the empire stretched from

what are now China and Korea to eastern

Europe.

Genghis Khan

The Mongols’ homeland lay in what are

now Mongolia and northern China.

Mongol tribes raised animals and moved

from place to place. The tribes sometimes

banded together in groups. Near

the end of the 1100s, a leader named

Temujin took control of a group called

All the Mongols. In 1206 he took the

title of Genghis Khan, which means

“universal ruler.”

People across Asia feared Genghis

Khan’s armies. His soldiers rode horses

and fought with bows and arrows. By

1215 the Mongols had taken northern

China. When Genghis Khan died in

1227, the Mongols controlled land from

the coast of China all the way to European

Russia.

After Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan’s sons and grandsons

continued to build the empire after his

The

descendants of

the Mongols

now live in

Mongolia,

China, and

Russia.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mongol Empire 161

death. One of his grandsons, called Batu

Khan, led a Mongol group called the

Golden Horde. The Golden Horde

moved west from Russia into Hungary.

In 1251 Mongke, another grandson of

Genghis Khan, became khan, or ruler of

the Mongol Empire. Mongke’s armies

conquered Persia (Iran) and Iraq. Only

defeat by an Egyptian army kept them

from moving farther west.

In 1260 Mongke’s brother Kublai, also a

grandson of Genghis Khan, became the

new khan. Mongol power reached its

highest point during his rule. Kublai

Khan was interested mainly in China,

though, and thought of himself as a

Chinese emperor. He even moved his

capital to what is now Beijing. He then

defeated the Song Dynasty of southern

China and established the Yuan, or

Mongol, Dynasty over all of China.

That dynasty lasted until 1368.

Fall of the Empire

The Mongol Empire began to fall apart

in the 1300s. The Ming Dynasty took

over China in about 1368. In 1380 a

group led by Russians defeated the

Golden Horde.

The last important Mongol ruler was

Timur, or Tamerlane, who died in 1405.

His conquests ranged from India and

Russia to the Mediterranean Sea. But

soon the empire was reduced to the

original Mongol homeland and scattered

kingdoms.

The Mongols lost power partly because

of the way that they ruled their territories.

The Mongols depended on local

people to rule the conquered lands from

day to day. As a result, power slipped

away from the Mongol rulers.

#More to explore

Genghis Khan • Mongolia

162 Mongol Empire BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Mongolia

Mongolia is a large, mountainous country

in central Asia. It was once the center

of the powerful Mongol Empire, which

stretched across Asia into eastern

Europe. Ulaanbaatar is Mongolia’s capital

and largest city.

Geography

Mongolia sits south of Russia and north

of China. Mountains rise in the north

and the west. The Altai Mountains have

the highest peaks. Between the mountains

are many lakes and rivers. There

are hilly plains in the south and the east.

The far south is part of the Gobi, a

desert of rock and gravel.

Mongolia has long, cold winters with

fierce blizzards. The summers are short

and warm. The country is dry, especially

in the southern desert. Northern and

western Mongolia often have earthquakes.

Plants and Animals

Grasslands and pasture for livestock

cover more than three quarters of Mongolia.

Forests of larch, cedar, and other

trees grow in the mountains. Few plants

grow in the dry Gobi.

The animals found in the mountains

include bears, deer, elk, wild boars, snow

leopards, and sables (a type of weasel).

Horses, sheep, donkeys, and camels live

in the plains and some parts of the

desert.

People

About 80 percent of the people are

Mongols. The largest group of Mongols

is the Khalkhas. Khalkha Mongolian is

the country’s main language. Nearly all

Mongols are Buddhists.

The largest group of people who are not

Mongols are the Kazakhs of western

Mongolia. The Kazakhs speak a Turkic

language. Many of them are Muslims.

More than half of the population lives in

cities or towns. Some people in the huge

rural areas live in yurts, or round tents.

Economy

Raising livestock is an important part of

Mongolia’s economy. Herders raise millions

of sheep, goats, cattle, horses, camels,

and pigs. A smaller number of

farmers grow wheat, potatoes, and other

vegetables.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mongolia 163

Mining is Mongolia’s most important

industry. Mines provide coal, copper,

and gold. Other industries process foods

and make cloth, clothing, and leather

goods. The country is famous for making

cashmere, a very soft fiber made

from the hair of Kashmir goats.

History

For thousands of years the people of

Mongolia were nomads, or wanderers.

The nomads moved around to find food

and water for their livestock. Some

nomads began to form tribes about

1,000 years ago.

In 1206 Genghis Khan became the ruler

of all the Mongol tribes. Under Genghis

Khan the Mongols began conquering

peoples in surrounding lands. By the

end of the 1200s the Mongol armies had

created a huge empire. It stretched

across China and Russia into parts of the

Middle East and eastern Europe. The

Mongols also set up a royal family,

known as the Yuan Dynasty, to rule

China. The Mongols lost most of their

territory in the 1300s. However, they

kept their original homeland in central

Asia.

In the 1600s a new Chinese dynasty, the

Qing Dynasty, conquered Mongolia.

The Chinese divided the territory into

Inner Mongolia in the south and Outer

Mongolia in the north. Inner Mongolia

is still a part of China.

In 1911 Outer Mongolia gained independence

from China.With the help of

the Soviet Union, Communists won

power in Mongolia by 1924. The country

cut its ties to the Soviet Union in the

early 1990s. Mongolia held democratic

elections in 1990.

..More to explore

Communism • Gobi • Mongol Empire

• Nomad • Ulaanbaatar

A woman cares for her goats outside of a

yurt in Mongolia.

A Mongolian girl holds up a

lamb. The raising of sheep and

other livestock is a major part of

Mongolia’s economy.

Facts About

MONGOLIA

Population

(2008 estimate)

2,652,000

Area

603,930 sq mi

(1,564,160 sq

km)

Capital

Ulaanbaatar

Form of

government

Republic

Major cities

Ulaanbaatar,

Erdenet, Darhan,

Choybalsan,

Ulaangom

164 Mongolia BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Mongoose

Mongooses are small, quick mammals

that are known for killing cobras and

other poisonous snakes. A mongoose

darts at the snake’s skull, trying to crack

it with a powerful bite. There are more

than 40 different species, or types, of

mongoose. They live in Africa, Asia, and

southern Europe. The meerkat of southwestern

Africa is a member of the mongoose

family.

Mongooses are small and have short

legs. They are about 7 to 35 inches (18

to 90 centimeters) long. The furry tail

adds another 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30

centimeters). Mongooses have pointed

noses and small ears. Their fur is gray to

brown, sometimes with light flecks or

dark spots.

Mongooses may live alone, in pairs, or

in groups. Most mongooses live in

underground holes called burrows.

Mongooses eat small mammals, birds,

reptiles, eggs, and fruit. Females usually

give birth to two to four young.

In the late 1800s people brought mongooses

to the islands of Hawaii and

Jamaica to kill rodents and snakes. But

the mongooses also killed many rare and

useful animals. The United States has

strict rules about bringing mongooses

into the country.

#More to explore

Mammal • Snake

Monk

A monk is a man who lives apart from

society and devotes his life to religion.

Monks tend to live a simple life of

prayer and work. They usually do not

have many belongings.

Types of Monk

There are two main types of monk. The

first type is a hermit—a person who

lives away from other people. These

monks believe that being alone will help

them get closer to God.

The second type of monk lives with

other monks. The place where they live

is called a monastery. Monks in monasteries

have set times to pray, work, and

study.

Roles

Some monks have helped the sick and

the poor.Monks have also spread culture

and education.Many years ago, they

were often the only members of society

who could read and write. They copied

the Bible and other texts and set up some

of the first libraries. They also did

Mongooses are bold snake fighters. scientific research and taught farming.

Roman

Catholic

monks are

usually called

brothers.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Monk 165

Monks in Different Religions

Monks are found in several religions,

including Christianity, Hinduism,

Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Some

of these religions allow female monks.

They are called nuns. Monks are not

officially a part of Islam or Judaism.

However, people of those religions have

formed religious communities.

Christianity

Saint Pachomius was a Christian who

lived in Egypt in the AD 300s. He

founded the first community of Christian

monks.

During the Middle Ages (AD 500–1500)

several orders (groups) of Catholic

monks developed. The Benedictine,

Dominican, and Franciscan orders of

monks still exist today.

Eastern Orthodox monks helped to

spread Christianity throughout eastern

Europe. They did not form orders like

Catholic monks, but they often lived

together in communities.

Hinduism

Hindu monks in India appeared much

earlier than Christian monks. Hindu

monks spend most of their time in deep

thought. Many live in monasteries.

Sikhism

Sikhism, centered in India, has some

believers who are similar to Hindu

monks. Some act as missionaries to

spread Sikh beliefs.

Jainism

Jainism, also practiced in India, has two

sects (divisions) of monks. Jain monks

are vegetarian because they do not wish

to harm any living creatures.

Buddhism

There are groups of Buddhist monks in

many parts of Asia. Some Buddhist

monks live in monasteries, where they

study and teach their religion. Other

monks wander alone. Buddhist monks

do not generally work. They survive by

begging for food.

#More to explore

Buddhism • Christianity • Hinduism

• Jainism • Sikhism

Monkey

Monkeys are clever, social animals. They

are known for running and leaping

through trees with ease. Like apes and

humans, monkeys belong to the group

of mammals called primates.

Monkeys look somewhat like apes—for

example, chimpanzees and orangutans.

Buddhist monks line up to receive food from

a woman in Southeast Asia.

166 Monkey BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

But monkeys differ from apes in several

ways. For instance, every monkey has a

tail, even if it is just a tiny nub. Apes do

not have tails.Monkeys also generally

have narrower chests than apes do.

There are about 200 species, or types,

of monkey. Scientists divide them into

two groups, Old World monkeys and

New World monkeys. Old World

monkeys include baboons, drills,

mandrills, macaques, guenons, langurs,

and colobus monkeys. Among the New

World monkeys are marmosets,

tamarins, howler monkeys, spider

monkeys, squirrel monkeys, woolly

monkeys, and capuchins.

Where Monkeys Live

OldWorld monkeys are found in Africa

and parts of Asia. NewWorld monkeys

are found in the tropical regions of Central

and South America. Most monkeys

live mainly in trees in rain forests.

Baboons and some other kinds live

mostly on the ground in grasslands or

rocky areas.

Physical Features

Monkeys vary greatly in size. The pygmy

marmoset is only about 6 inches (14

centimeters) long, not including the tail.

The largest baboons may grow to 45

inches (115 centimeters) in length.

Sakis and tamarins are New World monkeys. Mangabeys, drills, and colobus are Old

World monkeys.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Monkey 167

On the whole, OldWorld monkeys are

larger than NewWorld monkeys. Old

World monkeys also have narrower

noses than NewWorld monkeys do.

NewWorld monkeys usually have long

tails. Some kinds even use their tails to

hold onto branches. By contrast, Old

World monkeys cannot hold things with

their tails. And some have only short

stubs for tails.

Monkeys use all four limbs—two arms

and two legs—to walk, run, and jump.

Their hands and feet are good for

grasping tree branches. Monkeys have a

coat of hair on most of the body. Many

types have bare areas of skin on the face

and buttocks. Male mandrills and some

other types have brightly colored skin

in these bare areas. Most monkeys have

fairly flat faces. However, baboons and

mandrills have doglike faces, with

snouts that stick out.

Behavior

Most monkey species are active mostly

during the day. But owl monkeys are

active at night. They are also called night

monkeys. Monkeys leap from tree to

tree. They can sit and stand upright.

Most species run along branches rather

than swinging like apes do.

Monkeys are intelligent animals that are

good at solving problems. Almost all

types live together in groups. A monkey

group commonly includes several related

females, their young, and one or more

males.

Monkeys use facial expressions, body

movements, and various noises to communicate

with each other. For example,

squirrel monkeys have more than 25

different calls. These calls can sound like

barks, purrs, screams, peeps, and

squawks. The deep howls of howler

monkeys can be heard from 2 to 3 miles

(3 to 5 kilometers) away.

An ebony langur climbs using all

four of its limbs. An Old World

monkey, the ebony langur is an

endangered species that lives on

Java, an island of Indonesia.

A family of anubis baboons in Kenya eats

seeds together. An animal called a wildebeest

is in the distance.

168 Monkey BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Most monkeys eat mainly plants. Different

types eat fruits, flowers, seeds,

shoots, roots, and leaves. Some types of

monkey also eat birds’ eggs, insects, and

other small animals.

Reproduction

The period of pregnancy in monkeys

ranges from about five months to more

than seven months. In most species the

female usually has one baby at a time.

The babies are born helpless. Monkeys

depend heavily on their parents for care

during their early life. In most types the

young monkeys become adults at about

3 to 4 years of age.

Under Threat

Many types of monkey are endangered,

or at risk of dying out completely.

People have cut down the trees in large

parts of the rain forests where monkeys

live. People also hunt monkeys for their

meat and fur. In addition, some monkeys

are captured and sold as pets.

#More to explore

Ape • Endangered Species • Mammal

• Primate • Rain Forest

Monomotapa

Monomotapa (or Mwene Matapa) was

the title of a line of kings in southeastern

Africa. The name is also used for the

empire that they ruled from the 1300s

to the 1600s. The Monomotapa lands

lay between the Zambezi and Limpopo

rivers in what are now Zimbabwe and

Mozambique.

The Monomotapa people were members

of the Shona ethnic group. They may

have been related to the people of a

nearby empire. That empire was centered

on a city that is now known as

Great Zimbabwe.

The people of the Monomotapa empire

were mainly farmers. They also traded

gold and ivory along the coast of the

Indian Ocean.

According to legend, a ruler named

Mbire founded the Monomotapa line of

kings in the 1300s. His great-greatgrandson

Nyatsimba built up the empire

in the late 1400s. Nyatsimba was the

first king to have the title Monomotapa.

Portuguese explorers arrived in the area

in the 1500s. In 1629 they put a king

named Mavura on the throne. Mavura

became a Christian and welcomed Portuguese

traders and missionaries (Christians

who worked to spread their

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Monomotapa 169

religion). Late in the 1600s the nearby

Rozwi kingdom took power away from

the Monomotapa.

#More to explore

Great Zimbabwe

Mononucleosis

Mononucleosis is a common disease that

mostly affects teenagers and young

adults. It is also called mono, glandular

fever, or the “kissing disease.” Mononucleosis

can last several weeks, but it is

usually not serious. A virus found in

saliva causes the disease.

The first symptoms, or signs, of mononucleosis

include headache, fever,

muscle aches, and tiredness. People with

the disease may sleep 12 to 16 hours a

day. A sore throat, joint pain, swollen

glands, loss of appetite, a rash, and

stomach pain may follow the first symptoms.

In rare cases mononucleosis can

lead to swelling and rupture of the organ

called the spleen. The symptoms usually

last for one to two weeks. However, the

tiredness may last up to several months.

Scientists think that a kind of germ

called the Epstein-Barr virus causes

mononucleosis. People infected with the

virus can spread it by kissing, coughing,

or sharing food and drinks. The virus

stays in the body for life. After having

mononucleosis, people are immune to

the disease. This means that they will

not get it again.

There is no cure for mononucleosis.

Treatment involves making sick people

more comfortable. They need plenty of

rest and lots of fluids. People with

mononucleosis should also avoid exercise

and hard work until all the symptoms

are gone.

#More to explore

Disease, Human • Virus

Monroe, James

James Monroe was the fifth president of

the United States. He is best known for

the Monroe Doctrine, a warning to

European nations to stay out of the

Americas. During Monroe’s two terms

the country expanded and enjoyed

growing wealth.

Early Life and Career

James Monroe was born inWestmoreland

County, Virginia, on April 28,

1758. He was one of the five children of

James Monroe was the fifth president of the

United States.

Many people

become

infected with

the Epstein-

Barr virus

without getting

mononucleosis.

170 Mononucleosis BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Spence and Elizabeth Monroe. The

American Revolution interrupted

James’s studies at the College ofWilliam

and Mary. In 1776 Monroe left school

to serve in the Army.

After the war Monroe studied law under

Thomas Jefferson. Monroe was elected

to the Virginia legislature in 1782. From

1783 to 1786 he served in the Continental

Congress. Monroe married Elizabeth

Kortright in 1786. They had three

children.

Political Career

In 1790 Monroe was elected to the U.S.

Senate, where he strongly opposed President

GeorgeWashington. Monroe

became minister to France in 1794, but

Washington ordered him home in 1796.

Monroe served as governor of Virginia

from 1800 to 1803. When Jefferson

became president he sent Monroe to

France to help buy the Louisiana Territory.

Next Monroe served as minister to

Great Britain.

In 1811 Monroe again became governor

of Virginia. Later that year he resigned

to become secretary of state under President

James Madison. In 1814–15 he

also served as secretary of war.

Presidency

Monroe won election as president in

1816. A Democratic-Republican, he

easily defeated Rufus King of the Federalist

Party. Monroe was reelected in

1820.

Monroe faced the country’s first conflict

over slavery when Missouri wanted to

enter the Union. The North did not

want to allow slavery in the new state.

Finally, in 1820 Congress decided to

admit Maine as a free (without slavery)

state to balance the addition of Missouri,

a slave state. That agreement was

known as the Missouri Compromise.

April 28, July 4,

1758 1800 1811 1816 1823 1825 1831

Monroe is

born in

Westmoreland

County,

Virginia.

Monroe

becomes

governor of

Virginia.

President James

Madison

makes Monroe

secretary of

state.

Monroe is

elected

president.

Monroe states

the Monroe

Doctrine.

Monroe retires

from the

presidency.

Monroe dies

in New

York City.

T I M E L I N E

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Monroe, James 171

Monroe gained the territory of Florida

from Spain by 1821. In 1823 he

announced the famous policy that came

to be called the Monroe Doctrine. Monroe

stated that Europe should not form

any more colonies in the Americas. He

also stated that European countries

should stay out of the affairs of the

Western Hemisphere.

Retirement

In 1825 Monroe retired to Oak Hill,

Virginia. He later moved to New York

City, where he died on July 4, 1831.

..More to explore

Continental Congress • Jefferson,

Thomas • Louisiana Purchase

• Madison, James • Missouri

Compromise • United States

•Washington, George

Monrovia

Population

(2008

estimate), urban

area,

1,010,970

Monrovia is the capital of Liberia, a

country in western Africa. The city lies

on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It is

Liberia’s main port and largest city.

Monrovia suffered much damage during

a civil war in the late 20th and early 21st

centuries.

Shipping goods through the port is

important to Monrovia’s economy. Rubber

is the main product that Liberia

ships out through Monrovia. In additon,

many ships around the world have carried

the name of Monrovia as their

home port. Shipowners pay fees to register

their ships there. The city is also

Liberia’s center of education and business.

However, many of its businesses

were hurt by the long war.

Liberia was created in the 1800s to be a

home for former slaves. Freed U.S. slaves

began settling Monrovia in 1822. The

town was named after James Monroe,

who was president of the United States

at the time. In 1847 Monrovia became

the new country’s capital.

Rebels fought the government of Liberia

from 1989 to 2003. Fierce fighting took

place in and around Monrovia. After the

war the city began to rebuild its damaged

buildings and economy.

..More to explore

Liberia

Government buildings stand in Liberia’s

capital, Monrovia.

172 Monrovia BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Montana

The U.S. state of Montana got its name

from the Spanish word for “mountain.”

The Rocky Mountains cover the western

part of this large state. Montana is the

nation’s fourth largest state.

Because of the many minerals found in

Montana, the state is nicknamed the

Treasure State. People flocked to the area

in the 1860s looking for gold. The state

capital is Helena.

Geography

Montana is located in the northwestern

part of the United States. Montana is

bordered on the north by three Canadian

provinces: Saskatchewan, Alberta,

and British Columbia. The U.S. state of

Idaho is to the west and southwest.

Wyoming is to the south, and North

Dakota and South Dakota form the

eastern border.

Although Montana’s name suggests a

mountainous region, high plains cover

more than half of the state. The Rocky

Mountain part of the state includes

many mountain ranges, including the

Bitterroot. Between the ranges are narrow

valleys that are good for growing

crops.

One of the country’s great rivers, the

Missouri, begins in the Rocky Mountain

area of Montana. It eventually joins the

Mississippi River north of Saint Louis,

Missouri.

People

Whites make up about 90 percent

of the state’s population. The early

white settlers of Montana came from

almost every state in the Union. Later

others arrived from many European

countries and Canada.

Montana was originally home to several

Native American tribes, including Crow,

Blackfoot, Sioux, Assiniboin, Cheyenne,

Shoshone, Arapaho, Flathead, and

Kootenai. Today Native Americans

make up about 6 percent of Montana’s

population. Many of them live on reservations.

Economy

Montana has thousands of farms and

ranches, many of them quite large. Sales

of livestock, particularly cattle and

sheep, account for more than half of the

state’s agricultural income. Montana is

also a leading producer of barley and

wheat.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Montana 173

Montana has large commercial forests.

The production of lumber and wood

products is the state’s leading manufacturing

industry. Food processing is

another major industry. The largest

share of the state’s workers, however,

work in service industries. Government

operations and health care are among

the most important of these. The tourist

industry is one of Montana’s largest

sources of income. Coal, petroleum

(oil), and natural gas are the most valuable

mineral resources.

History

Montana was part of the land the

United States bought from France in the

Louisiana Purchase of 1803. A few years

later members of the Lewis and Clark

Expedition explored and reported on the

territory.

Gold discoveries in the early 1860s

brought miners to the area. Cattle and

sheep raising began later in the decade.

In 1881 copper was discovered near

Butte, giving rise to another major

industry.

Montana Territory was created in 1864.

It became the nation’s 41st state in

1889. Beginning in about 1900 settlers

known as homesteaders entered the state

to claim land. They introduced largescale

grain farming to the area.

By the 1920s Montana’s farm economy

was struggling. The situation was made

worse by the Great Depression of the

1930s. Eventually scientists made

advances in farming that helped the

farmers. Forestry and mining began to

grow as well. These all helped the

economy to recover. In the early 21st

century Montana worked to develop its

tourism industry and to encourage the

development of other businesses.

..More to explore

Helena • Lewis and Clark Expedition

• Louisiana Purchase

Bear Hat Mountain towers above Hidden

Lake in Montana’s Glacier National Park.

Grave markers at the Little Bighorn Battlefield

National Monument in Montana honor

people who died there during a famous

battle in 1876. A group of Native Americans

defeated U.S. troops who were trying

to force them to move to a reservation.

However, the Indians eventually lost their

land.

Facts About

MONTANA

Flag

Population

(2000)

902,195—rank,

44th state; (2008

estimate)

967,440—rank,

44th state

Capital

Helena

Area

147,042 sq mi

(380,838 sq

km)—rank, 4th

state

Statehood

November 8,

1889

Motto

Oro y Plata (Gold

and Silver)

State bird

Western

meadowlark

State flower

Bitterroot

174 Montana BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Montenegro

Montenegro is a small country in southeastern

Europe. It lies on the Balkan

Peninsula along the Adriatic Sea. Montenegro

has two capitals—Podgorica and

Cetinje.

Montenegro borders Croatia, Bosnia

and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, and

Albania. Rugged mountains and valleys

make up most of Montenegro’s land.

Forests cover about a third of the country.

Wildlife includes foxes, wolves, wildcats,

bears, deer, wild pigs, and many

kinds of bird.

Most of the country’s people are Montenegrin,

a Slavic people similar to the

Serbs of Serbia. Most Montenegrins are

Eastern Orthodox Christians. Some

Bosniacs and Albanians also live in

Montenegro. They are mainly Muslim.

Manufacturing is a major part of Montenegro’s

economy. Factories process

foods and metals. Farmers grow grains

and raise sheep and goats. Mining, logging,

and tourism also are important.

People have lived in what is now Montenegro

since ancient times. It became

part of the Serbian empire in the 1100s.

In 1389 the Ottoman Turks conquered

Serbia but not Montenegro. Montenegro

was then independent for more than

500 years.

After a period of Turkish rule, Montenegro

joined Serbia and neighboring

countries to form one larger country in

1918. It was called the Kingdom of

Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. Its name

was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929.

In the 1990s parts of Yugoslavia broke

away to become independent countries.

After a civil war, only Montenegro and

Serbia remained part of Yugoslavia. In

2003 they formed a country called Serbia

and Montenegro. Montenegro

became independent in 2006.

..More to explore

Balkan Peninsula • Yugoslavia

Sveti Stefan is a vacation center. A road

connects it to the mainland of Montenegro.

Facts About

MONTENEGRO

Population

(2008 estimate)

626,000

Area

5,333 sq mi

(13,812 sq km)

Capitals

Podgorica,

Cetinje

Form of

government

Republic

Major cities

Podgorica,

Niksic, Pljevlja,

Bijelo Polje,

Cetinje

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Montenegro 175

Montevideo

Population

(2004 estimate)

1,269,552

Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay, a

country on the east coast of South

America. The city lies on a part of the

Atlantic Ocean called the Rio de la

Plata. It is much larger than any other

city in Uruguay. It is the country’s center

of education and business.

Montevideo is a major port. Trade and

shipping through the port are important

to the city’s economy. Factories in Montevideo

process foods, wool, oil, and

cement. Meatpacking has long been a

major industry in the city. Service industries

such as banking, education, and

tourism also bring money to the city.

Montevideo was founded in 1726 as a

Spanish military post. The city grew as it

began trading through its excellent port.

A series of different countries took control

of Montevideo in the early 1800s.

In 1828 Uruguay became an independent

country with Montevideo as its

capital.

..More to explore

Uruguay

Montgomery

Population

(2007 estimate)

204,086

Montgomery is the capital of the U.S.

state of Alabama. The city is known for

its role in both the American CivilWar

and the civil rights movement. Many

people in the city work for the government

or in trade, health care, and other

service industries.

Montgomery was founded in 1819. It

became the capital of Alabama in 1847.

In 1860 and 1861 the Southern states,

including Alabama, broke away from

the United States. Just before the

American Civil War began in 1861,

The government of Uruguay works in buildings

in Montevideo, the country’s capital.

176 Montevideo BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

leaders of those Southern states met in

Montgomery. There they formed a new

government called the Confederate

States of America. Montgomery was the

capital of the Confederacy for a few

months.

The civil rights leader Martin Luther

King, Jr., was a minister in Montgomery

in the mid-1900s. In 1955 a black

woman from the city named Rosa Parks

refused to give up her bus seat to a white

passenger. She was arrested for this.

King then led a protest in which people

refused to use the city’s buses. In 1965

King led another civil rights protest in

the city. It was a march from Selma,

Alabama, to Montgomery.

..More to explore

Alabama • Civil Rights Movement

• Confederate States of America • King,

Martin Luther, Jr. • Parks, Rosa

Montpelier

Population

(2000 census)

8,035; (2007

estimate) 7,806

Montpelier is the capital of the U.S.

state of Vermont. The city lies on the

Winooski River in the wooded hills of

the Green Mountains. It has the smallest

population of all the state capitals in the

United States.

Many people in Montpelier work for

the government. The headquarters of

several insurance companies are in the

city. Tourism and other service

industries are also important to the

city’s economy.

In 2005 people in Montgomery, Alabama,

honored the 50th anniversary of the Montgomery

bus boycott. During the boycott

people refused to ride city buses as a protest

against segregation, or separation of

the races.

The state Capitol in Montpelier, Vermont, is

pictured in autumn.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Montpelier 177

Montpelier was founded in the 1780s.

The first settlers were soldiers who had

fought in the American Revolution. The

first permanent home on the site was

built in 1787. Montpelier was named

the state capital in 1805.

#More to explore

Vermont

Moon

The Moon is a large natural object that

orbits, or travels around, Earth. After

the sun it is the brightest object in the

sky.

The average distance between the Moon

and Earth is about 238,900 miles

(384,400 kilometers). Compared to the

distance between other planets and

Earth, this distance is small. In fact, the

Moon is close enough to affect the level

of seas on Earth. Every day the seas seem

to rise and fall. This is because of a force

called gravity. The Moon’s gravity pulls

on Earth. It is too weak to affect the

whole planet, but it does make the water

move. This creates tides.

Physical Features

The Moon is slightly more than one

quarter the size of Earth. Its diameter, or

distance through its center, is about

2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers).

The Moon is made mostly of rock. The

surface has thousands of pits called craters.

The craters form when chunks of

rock and metal called meteorites crash

into the Moon. These crashes have covered

the Moon’s surface with rocks and

dust. The Moon also has plains made of

lava that erupted from volcanoes billions

of years ago.

During the daytime, when the Moon

faces the sun, its surface temperature

averages about 225° F (107° C). However,

at night the temperature drops to

about .243° F (.153° C).

Orbit and Spin

Like the planets, the Moon has two

types of movement: orbit and spin. The

Moon orbits Earth. It takes the Moon

The Moon is the most prominent feature in

the night sky.

A view of the near side of the Moon shows

some of its many craters.

178 Moon BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Luna 9, a spacecraft from the Soviet

Union, became the first unmanned craft

to successfully land on the Moon. In

1969 the U.S. Apollo 11 craft carried

the first people—Neil Armstrong and

Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin, Jr.—to walk on

the Moon. Ten other astronauts have

walked on the Moon since then.

#More to explore

Earth • Eclipse • Meteor and Meteorite

• Space Exploration • Tide

Moor

In the AD 700s a group of people

invaded Spain. These conquerors were

Arabs (people from Arabia) and Berbers

(a tribe from northern Africa). They

practiced the religion of Islam. The

Arab-Berber invaders soon began marrying

Spanish people. Their descendants

came to be known as the Moors.

The arrival of the Arab-Berber invaders

began 700 years of Islamic power in

Spain. Eventually, however, weak leaders

led to the fall of the Moors. Christian

kingdoms that had formed in the northern

mountain regions took land from

the Moors bit by bit. By 1212 the

Moors controlled only the kingdom of

Granada in southern Spain.

In 1492 Spanish Christians conquered

Granada. The Christians forced Moors

who practiced Islam out of Spain. Moors

who stayed in Spain became Christians,

or they pretended to follow Christianity

while secretly practicing Islam.

Descendants of the Moors who stayed in

Spain were known as Moriscos. Early in

the 1600s the Spanish drove the

Moriscos out of Spain because of their

political and religious beliefs. Most of

them moved to northern Africa. Today

descendants of the Moriscos live along

the coasts of Morocco and Algeria in

northwestern Africa. Sometimes they are

still called Moors.

#More to explore

Arabs • Islam

Moose

The moose is the largest animal of the

deer family. It is best known for its large

head and antlers. The scientific name of

the moose is Alces alces. Moose are called

elk in Europe.

Moose live in Canada, Alaska, and the

Rocky Mountain region of the United

States. They are also found in the northern

forests of Europe and Asia. They like

to be near rivers, ponds, and lakes.

The Alhambra is a palace and fortress

overlooking the town of Granada in Spain.

It was home to the Moors who ruled parts

of Spain from the AD 700s to 1492.

180 Moor BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Moose are heavy, long-legged animals. A

full-grown male may stand more than 7

feet (2.1 meters) tall at the shoulders

and weigh more than 1,400 pounds

(635 kilograms). Females, or cows, are

slightly smaller. A moose’s fur is thick

and dark brown, though it can look

reddish or almost black.

Only a male moose grows antlers. The

antlers are flattened with upright points

and may spread more than 5 feet (1.5

meters) across. Each year, a male will

lose and then regrow its antlers. As the

antlers grow, they are covered with a

protective skin, called velvet. The velvet

eventually rubs off.

Moose are active during the day, especially

at dusk and dawn. They have a

good sense of hearing and smell, but

they do not see very well. Moose rarely

run. However, they are good swimmers.

They eat water plants such as pondweed

and water lilies. They also eat grasses,

herbs, twigs, and bark.

#More to explore

Deer

Mormon

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-day Saints are known as Mormons.

The church is based in Salt Lake

City, Utah. Its main holy books are the

Bible and the Book of Mormon.

Beliefs

Joseph Smith, the religion’s founder,

believed that Christianity had gone

astray in its beliefs and practices. In

creating Mormonism, he sought to

restore the “true” Christian church.

Mormons share the Christian belief that

Jesus came to Earth to save humankind.

But Mormonism differs from most

forms of Christianity in many ways. For

example, Mormons believe that the way

they live will affect whether they are

An adult male moose stands in water.

Brigham Young was an important president

of the Mormon church. In the 1840s he led

Mormon settlers to what is now the U.S.

state of Utah.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mormon 181

saved. They also believe that faithful

members of the church will eventually

become gods.

Practices

Faithful Mormons attend worship services

regularly. They must not drink

alcohol, tea, or coffee or use tobacco.

Young people are encouraged to help

spread the faith through missionary

work for 18–24 months.

Mormons become church members

through baptism, a ceremony that

involves being blessed with water. Adults

also undergo baptism on behalf of their

dead ancestors who were not Mormons.

They believe that this allows their ancestors

to enter God’s highest eternal kingdom.

History

Smith said that in 1827 an angel gave

him sacred writings. Smith published

these writings as the Book of Mormon in

1830 and began to organize a new

church.

Smith established religious communities

in Ohio and Missouri, but people in

Missouri were hostile toward the Mormons.

Many Mormons moved to Illinois

to found a new city. There, the

Mormons’ wealth and political power

upset their neighbors. In 1844 Smith

was arrested and was murdered while in

jail.

Brigham Young soon became president

of the church. Growing violence against

the Mormons led Young to lead them on

a long journey to what is now Utah.

But not all Mormons accepted Young as

their leader. Some who rejected him

remained behind and formed another

church. Today, this church is known as

the Community of Christ.

In 1849 the Utah Mormons applied for

statehood. The U.S. government refused

them, mostly because the Mormons

engaged in polygamy—a practice in

which a man has more than one wife at

a time. The Mormon church ended the

practice of polygamy in 1890. Utah

became a state in 1896.

In the 1900s the church’s missionaries

won many converts. By 2000 the church

had about 11 million members worldwide.

#More to explore

Christianity • Jesus Christ • Salt Lake

City • Utah

A large Mormon temple stands

in Temple Square in Salt Lake

City, Utah.

Mormon

temples are

different from

Mormon

churches.

Temples are

open to

Mormons only.

182 Mormon BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Morocco

The Kingdom of Morocco is the only

country in Africa with coastlines on

both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean

Sea. Rabat is the capital.

Geography

Morocco sits at the northwestern edge of

Africa. It shares borders with Algeria and

the territory ofWestern Sahara.

Morocco has controlledWestern Sahara

since the 1970s.

The Atlas Mountains divide Morocco

into eastern and western halves. The Rif

Mountains run along the Mediterranean

coast. Mount Toubkal, in the Atlas

Mountains, is Morocco’s highest peak. It

reaches a height of 13,665 feet (4,165

meters). The southern and southeastern

edges of Morocco lie within the Sahara,

the world’s largest desert. Most of the

country has mild, wet winters and hot,

dry summers.

Plants and Animals

Forests of oak, fir, and cedar trees grow

in the mountains. Bushes and grasses

cover the lowlands. A forest of cork oak

trees grows east of Rabat.

Many large animals in Morocco have

disappeared because of hunting. The

government protects Morocco’s Barbary

apes, which live in the Atlas Mountains.

Morocco has many birds, including

storks, flamingos, pelicans, and cattle

egrets.

People

The people of Morocco are mostly Arabs

and Berbers (a tribe from northern

Africa). More than half of the people

live in cities, mainly in the northwest.

Arabic is the main language. Some

people also speak French or Berber languages.

Islam is the national religion.

Economy

Manufacturing and mining are important

parts of Morocco’s economy. Factories

make food and tobacco products,

clothing, and chemicals. Morocco’s

mines provide large amounts of phosphates,

which are used to make fertilizers

and other products. Tourism is

another important industry.

Many Moroccans are farmers or fishers.

Major crops include wheat, barley, sugar

beets, citrus fruits, vegetables, and olives.

The Atlantic Ocean provides a large

catch of fish.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Morocco 183

History

Morocco’s early peoples included Berber

tribes. Traders from the Middle East

began arriving in North Africa more

than 2,000 years ago. The Roman

Empire controlled the region in the AD

300s.

Arab armies arrived in 692. Many

people converted to Islam. Islamic Berber

kingdoms ruled Morocco from the

1000s to the 1200s. They also ruled

much of Spain and North Africa. By the

end of the 1600s Morocco was a strong

and independent Islamic kingdom.

European Control

In 1830 France invaded Morocco’s

neighbor Algeria. France took control of

most of Morocco in 1912. Spain controlled

parts of northern and southern

Morocco. The Moroccan king stayed on

the throne, but the French held the real

power.

The Berbers in the Atlas Mountains

fought the French until 1934. During

WorldWar II (1939–45) Moroccans

began to call for independence.

Morocco gained independence from

both France and Spain in 1956.

Western Sahara

In 1975 Morocco took over the northern

part ofWestern Sahara. The Spanish,

who controlled the territory, left in

1976. Morocco took the southern part

ofWestern Sahara from Mauritania in

1979. Meanwhile, a rebel group from

Western Sahara was fighting for the territory’s

independence. To escape the

violence manyWest Saharans went to

Algeria. At the start of the 21st century

the people ofWestern Sahara still had

not agreed to Moroccan rule.

..More to explore

Arabs • Rabat

Colorfully dyed wool is displayed

in a market in Marrakech,

Morocco.

Date palms and farmers’ fields

lie outside a village on the slopes

of the Atlas Mountains in

Morocco.

Facts About

MOROCCO

Population

(2008 estimate;

includes Western

Sahara)

32,103,000

Area

177,117 sq mi

(458,730 sq km;

excludes Western

Sahara)

Capital

Rabat

Form of

government

Constitutional

monarchy

Major urban

areas

Casablanca,

Rabat, Fes,

Marrakech,

Tangier

184 Morocco BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Moroni

Population

(2003 estimate)

41,600

Moroni is the capital of Comoros, an

island country off the east coast of

Africa. The city is located on the western

edge of Ngazidja (or Grande Comore),

the country’s largest island. It is the largest

city in Comoros.

Moroni has a port on the Indian Ocean.

Ships load up there with products such

as vanilla, cloves, and ylang-ylang (flowers

used in perfume). Tourism also

brings money to the city.

Muslim Arabs founded Moroni. The

French took over Moroni and the rest of

Comoros in the 1800s. Moroni became

the capital of the islands in 1958. In

1975 Comoros became an independent

country with Moroni as its capital.

Afterward the city was the site of many

violent protests and takeovers of the

country’s government.

#More to explore

Comoros

Morse Code

Morse Code is a system of electronic

communication. It uses dots, dashes,

and spaces to represent letters, punctuation,

and numbers. The symbols are

arranged to spell out a message. A

machine called a telegraph converts the

symbols into electrical signals and sends

them across a wire to their destination.

The signals are then converted back into

the message by the telegraph that

receives them.

A U.S. artist and inventor named Samuel

F.B. Morse created Morse Code in

the 1830s. Before his invention, an

important message could take weeks to

reach its destination. Morse Code and

the telegraph allowed people to receive

information sent from far away in just

minutes.Wires were strung all across the

United States for the use of the code.

Newspapers, railroads, and businesses

used the code and the telegraph to send

news quickly from one city to another.

A second type of Morse Code was created

in Europe in 1851. It was called the

International Morse Code, or the Continental

Morse Code. It was simpler than

the original code. It also included extra

letters with special marks on them, such

Small fishing boats line the harbor at

Moroni on Ngazidja, Comoros.

SOS is an

international

call for help.

S (three dots)

and O (three

dashes) are

easy letters to

understand.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Morse Code 185

as c or n, that are used in some European

languages.

..More to explore

Communication • Telegraph

Moscow

Population

(2006 estimate)

10,425,075

Moscow is the capital of Russia, a country

that extends from eastern Europe to

the Pacific Ocean. It is Russia’s major

center of industry, science, and culture.

The city lies on the Moskva River.

Places of Interest

The collection of buildings called the

Kremlin forms the core of the city. It

was originally a fortress and has been the

center of the country’s government for

many years. Next to the Kremlin is Red

Square, which has been the scene of

many protests, parades, and speeches. A

famous building on the square is the

Cathedral of Saint Basil. Moscow also

has more than 30 major theaters and

concert halls, including the Bolshoi Theater

of Opera and Ballet.

Economy

Moscow is the largest industrial center

in Russia. Factories in the city make

many products, including machinery,

cars, ball bearings, and electrical equipment.

Many people in Moscow work in

businesses that serve the public, including

banks, stores, and restaurants. The

city is also a center for education and

research.

History

People have lived in the Moscow area

since ancient times. In the 1100s a

The American Morse Code and International

Morse Code use patterns of dots and

dashes to represent letters, punctuation, and

numbers. Dots stand for short sounds and

dashes stand for long sounds.

The colorful domes of the Cathedral of Saint

Basil tower over Red Square in Moscow.

186 Moscow BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

prince built a fort to protect the people

living there. A settlement close to the

fort grew into a town.

By the 1500s Moscow was a major city

and was the capital of Russia. However,

a new city called Saint Petersburg

became Russia’s capital in 1712. Most of

Moscow’s nobles and merchants moved

to the new capital. In 1812 there was a

great fire in Moscow. These events

slowed the city’s growth.

Moscow did not recover its role as capital

until after the Russian Revolution of

1917. As a result of the revolution, Russia

became part of a new country called

the Soviet Union. In 1918 Moscow

became the capital of the Soviet Union.

The city then grew rapidly.

In 1941, duringWorldWar II, German

troops tried to capture Moscow. However,

Soviet troops stopped the invaders

a few miles from the city.

The Soviet Union broke apart in 1991.

Russia became a separate country again,

and Moscow was its capital.

#More to explore

Kremlin • Russia • Saint Petersburg

• Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Moses

Moses is a central figure in Judaism. He

was the prophet who led the Hebrew

slaves out of Egypt. He also helped them

form a special relationship with God.

Moses is important to Christianity and

Islam too because of his role in communicating

God’s laws.

Early Life

Moses was probably born in the late

1300s BC in Egypt to Hebrew parents.

The Egyptians kept the Hebrews as

slaves. The Egyptian ruler, called the

pharaoh, had ordered that all newborn

male Hebrews be killed. According to

tradition, Moses’ mother sent him floating

down the Nile River in a basket to

save him. The pharaoh’s daughter found

the baby, and he grew up in the royal

court.

The Hebrews Leave Egypt

As a young man Moses killed an Egyptian

who was beating a Hebrew slave.

Then Moses fled to a neighboring land.

According to the Bible, he had his first

encounter with God there. At the base

of Mount Sinai Moses discovered a bush

that was burning but was not burned

An illustration shows the baby Moses being

found by the pharaoh’s daughter.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Moses 187

up. From out of the bush he heard the

voice of God telling him to ask the pharaoh

to free the Hebrews.

The Bible records that Moses pleaded

with the pharaoh, but the pharaoh

refused to free the Hebrews. God then

punished the Egyptians with 10 plagues.

The final plague took the life of the pharaoh’s

son, and the Hebrews left Egypt.

But the pharaoh’s army pursued them

until they were trapped at the Sea of

Reeds (once believed to be the Red Sea).

What many believe to be a miracle happened

there: winds created a dry path

through the sea that allowed the

Hebrews to cross, and the Egyptian

army was drowned as the waters

returned.

Ten Commandments

Moses brought the Hebrews to Mount

Sinai, where God again revealed himself

to Moses. On the mountain God gave

Moses the laws known as the Ten Commandments.

They told the people to

worship God only and forbade such

actions as lying, stealing, and killing.

God made a covenant, or agreement,

with the Hebrews. If they followed His

laws, He would be their God forever.

Later, these laws and others were

recorded in the Torah (part of the

Hebrew Bible).

Late Life

Moses spent the rest of his life leading

his people through the desert to Canaan

(Palestine), a land God had promised to

give them. The journey was long and

hard. The Hebrews sometimes questioned

Moses’ leadership and lost faith

in God. When Moses got frustrated

with some rebels, God saw it as a lack of

faith and denied him entrance to the

promised land.

Moses’ last official act was to renew the

covenant. He then climbed Mount Pisgah,

on the eastern edge of the Jordan

River. He is believed to have died

there—able to see, but not to enter, the

promised land. According to the Bible,

Moses lived for 120 years.

#More to explore

Bible • Christianity • Islam • Judaism

• Palestine • Torah

Mosque

A mosque is a place of prayer for Muslims,

or followers of the religion of

Islam. The first mosque was the courtyard

in the home of Muhammad,

Islam’s founder.

The inside of a mosque always includes

an open space for worship. Rugs or mats

Some of the

other plagues

from God

were frogs,

locusts, flies,

darkness, and

hail.

The Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, is

decorated with stained glass and mosaics.

188 Mosque BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

may cover the floor. A nook in one wall,

called a mihrab, shows the direction of

Mecca, Islam’s holiest city. To the right

of the mihrab is a platform or small

tower, called a minbar. Religious leaders

climb steps up to the minbar, where

they speak to the worshippers. Every

mosque must also have a source of running

water for washing. Muslims are

required to wash before prayer.

Outside most mosques is a tall tower,

called a minaret. From the minaret a

crier, or muezzin, calls Muslims to

prayer. Some mosques have up to six

minarets.

Mosques are different in some ways

from churches and synagogues. They do

not have chairs or seats. The worshippers

stand together, barefoot, in rows.

They bow down and kneel when praying.

Men and women worship separately.

Mosques never contain statues or

pictures, and music and singing are forbidden.

#More to explore

Church • Islam • Synagogue

Mosquito

Mosquitoes are insects that are found

almost everywhere in the world. Female

mosquitoes bite animals and people,

leaving itchy bumps. Mosquitoes can

spread malaria, yellow fever, and other

serious diseases through their bites.

Mosquitoes are part of a large group of

insects called flies.

A mosquito has a soft body with a hard

covering called an exoskeleton. It has

two narrow wings, two antennas, and six

long legs. A female mosquito usually has

a mouthpart called a proboscis, which

looks like a long tube. She uses her proboscis

to pierce skin and suck blood

from animals. She needs the blood for

her eggs to develop. Male mosquitoes do

not bite. Their mouthparts are designed

for feeding on plant juices.

Female mosquitoes lay their eggs on the

surface of standing water. The eggs

hatch into long, wriggling larvae. The

larvae live at the surface of the water.

They molt (shed their outside covering)

a few times and then change into a new

form, called pupae. Pupae also live in

the water. They develop into adults that

can fly away and reproduce.

Mosquitoes are considered pests because

they carry so many diseases. But getting

rid of mosquitoes is difficult. One way is

to drain the water out of ditches,

swamps, and ponds where they lay their

eggs. To destroy full-grown mosquitoes,

insecticides are sometimes used. Insecti-

When female mosquitoes bite, they inject

saliva into the wound. This makes it easier

for them to draw blood. The saliva is what

causes mosquito bites to itch.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mosquito 189

cides are powders or liquids for killing

harmful insects. But they can be dangerous

for animals and people, too.

#More to explore

Fly • Insect • Malaria

Moss

Mosses are small, seedless plants that

often grow in moist, shady places. More

than 10,000 species, or types, of moss

grow throughout the world. They

belong to a group of plants called bryophytes.

Liverworts and hornworts are

other plants in this group.

Mosses range in size from too small to

see to more than 40 inches (1 meter)

long. They grow closely together in

thick mats. Many types of moss form

velvety green carpets on forest floors.

These green mosses also grow on trees

and rocks. Peat, or sphagnum, mosses

grow in patches in bogs, in swamps,

near ponds, and in other wet places.

They may be green, red, orange, or

brown. Granite, or rock, mosses grow on

rocks in cold regions. They are reddish

brown or black.

Unlike most other plants, mosses reproduce

through cells called spores, not

seeds. A stalklike structure produces and

releases the spores. When a spore lands

on a moist surface, it grows into a low,

branching structure. This structure

spreads across the surface of the soil,

wood, or rock. Leafy shoots grow up

from this low part of the plant. These

shoots produce male and female sex

cells. Once two sex cells join together,

they grow into a new spore-producing

stalk. New moss plants also can grow

from pieces of old moss plants.

Some living things called mosses are not

really mosses at all. Some, such as Irish

moss, are actually algae. Others—

including beard moss, Iceland moss,

reindeer moss, and oak moss—are

lichens. Club mosses and Spanish moss

are plants, but they are not related to

true mosses.

#More to explore

Algae • Bog • Lichen • Plant

Moth

#see Butterfly and Moth.

Mother Goose

Some people think that many children’s

songs and nursery rhymes were written

by someone called Mother Goose. She is

Moss covers a forest floor. often pictured as an elderly woman

190 Moss BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

riding on the back of a flying goose. But

scholars do not know if Mother Goose

ever existed.

According to one story Mother Goose

was a woman named Elizabeth Goose.

She lived in Boston, Massachusetts, in

the 1600s. Some people believe that

rhymes she made up for her grandchildren

survived as the Mother Goose tales

familiar today. But no one has found

any proof that she wrote the stories.

In France a book of fairy tales published

in 1697 was called Tales of Mother Goose.

In the 1760s John Newbery of England

published the first edition of Mother

Goose rhymes as they are now known.

He probably took the name Mother

Goose from the French book. Newbery’s

book was published in the United States

in about 1785. Generations of American

children have learned the rhymes, such

as “Humpty Dumpty” and “Little Miss

Muffett.”

#More to explore

Nursery Rhyme

Mother Teresa

#see Teresa, Mother.

Motion

When we say that something is in

motion, we usually mean that it is moving.

But motion has a special meaning

in science. In science, motion is a

change in position compared to a place

or an object that is not moving. The

place or object that is not moving is

called the frame of reference.

Motion is a kind of puzzle because every

object in the universe is in motion. This

means that no frame of reference is correct

in every situation. For example, a

car is in motion when the ground is the

“There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in

a Shoe” is a popular nursery rhyme from

Mother Goose.

A boy on a swing is in motion.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Motion 191

frame of reference. In this situation, we

think of the ground as not moving. But

the ground, a part of Earth, is in motion

when the sun is used as the frame of

reference. This is because Earth travels

around the sun.

Describing Motion

An object in motion can be described by

its speed and its velocity. The speed of a

moving object is a measure of how fast it

is moving. Speed is equal to the distance

the object travels divided by the time it

takes to travel that distance. For

example, a car that travels 30 miles in

one hour has a speed of 30 miles per

hour. Velocity describes how fast an

object is moving in a certain direction.

Newton’s Laws of Motion

In the 1680s the English scientist Isaac

Newton came up with three laws that

describe motion. In his first law, Newton

explained that the motion of an

object will not change unless a force

pushes or pulls on the object. In his second

law, Newton showed that a strong

force makes an object move faster than a

weak force acting on the same object. In

Newton’s third law, he said that whenever

a force pushes an object, the object

pushes back with an equal and opposite

force.

#More to explore

Force • Newton, Isaac

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a two-wheeled vehicle

with an engine. Motorcycles are bigger,

heavier, and much faster than bicycles,

but they have many similar parts. Like

bicycles, motorcycles are often called

bikes.

Motorcycles are a common form of

transportation throughout the world.

People also ride motorcycles in races or

just for fun.

Motorcycle Design

Like an automobile, a motorcycle usually

has an internal-combustion engine

powered by gasoline. The body of the

motorcycle, called the frame, is usually

made of steel. Handlebars and a cushioned

seat sit on top of the frame. The

two tires are attached to the front and

the back of the frame. They are much

like car tires, but smaller.

Brakes, a headlight, a taillight, turn signals,

and a horn are important safety

features on every motorcycle. Some

motorcycles have crash bars, which keep

the motorcycle from hitting the ground

if it falls over. A motorcycle might also

have a windshield for protection.

Many motorcyclists wear protective gear,

such as a helmet.

192 Motorcycle BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

Motorcycles are designed for different

purposes. Street bikes, touring bikes,

and small mopeds and scooters are built

mainly for riding on paved roadways.

Touring bikes are specially equipped for

long-distance highway travel. Lightweight

dirt bikes, racing bikes, trail

bikes, and minibikes are meant for offroad

biking.

Using a Motorcycle

Motorcycle riders need their hands and

their feet to drive their vehicles. The

driver turns on the engine using a key.

Once the engine is on, the driver uses

controls on the handlebars and foot pedals

to drive. A twist of a handgrip controls

the speed of the vehicle. The

handlebars also have a lever to control

the front brakes. Pedals control the rear

brakes.

Motorcyclists must obey the rules of the

road and follow other laws related to

motorcycles. Many countries require a

special driver’s license for operating

motorcycles. In some places every

motorcyclist must wear a helmet.

History

Many inventors in the 1800s tried to

put engines on bicycles. These first

motorcycles had steam-powered engines.

In 1884 a British inventor put a gasoline

engine on a three-wheeled motorcycle.

By 1900 many people were building

two-wheeled motorcycles with gasoline

engines.

#More to explore

Automobile • Bicycle • Internal-

Combustion Engine • Transportation

Mott, Lucretia

Lucretia Mott helped to begin the movement

for women’s rights. She was also

an early worker against slavery in the

United States.

Early Life

Lucretia Coffin was born on January 3,

1793, in Nantucket, Massachusetts.

When she was 13 her parents sent her to

a Quaker school in Poughkeepsie, New

York. She later became a teacher there.

As a woman she received only half the

pay that male teachers earned. She first

became interested in women’s rights

because of this unequal treatment.

Lucretia married another teacher, James

Mott, in 1811. The couple moved to

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and had six

children. Lucretia became a Quaker

minister in 1821.

Career

In 1833 Lucretia Mott helped to start

the American Anti-Slavery Society. In

Lucretia Mott

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mott, Lucretia 193

1840 the group sent her to a convention,

or large meeting, in London,

England. However, she was not allowed

to take part because she was a woman.

Many people were against equal rights

for women at that time.

In 1848 Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton

led the first convention for women’s

rights. It was held in Seneca Falls, New

York. Mott also wrote many articles and

gave many speeches in support of women’s

rights. In 1866 Mott became president

of the American Equal Rights

Association. This group worked for

equal rights, especially voting rights, for

all Americans.

Before the American CivilWar Mott

and her husband used their home as a

stop on the Underground Railroad. The

Underground Railroad was a system by

which people helped runaway slaves

escape to the North. After the CivilWar

Mott worked to get education and jobs

for freed slaves. Mott died on November

11, 1880, near Abington, Pennsylvania.

#More to explore

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady • Underground

Railroad •Women’s Rights

Mound Builder

An amazing assortment of large mounds

of earth lies in parts of the eastern

United States. Some of the mounds are

low, simple cone shapes. Others are tall,

wide hills. Still others are shaped like

huge animals. These mounds are not

natural formations—Native Americans

built them. Archaeologists call those

people mound builders.

Three important groups of mound

builders were the people of the Adena,

Hopewell, and Mississippian cultures.

They built many different types of

mounds. Burial mounds were used as

graves. They made these mounds by

placing a body on the ground and building

a hill of dirt and stones around it. In

some burial mounds the bodies of many

generations were layered on top of one

another. Eventually the mound grew to

look like a small hill.

Native Americans also built effigy

mounds, which were shaped like such

animals as snakes, bears, birds, and lizards.

Some effigy mounds served as

burial mounds. The purpose of other

effigy mounds is unknown.

Other mounds provided platforms for

religious temples or leaders’ homes. The

Cahokia Mounds in southern Illinois are

Mott helped to

write a

declaration of

independence

for women. It

declared that

“all men and

women are

created

equal.”

The effigy mound called Serpent Mound

was built by Native American mound builders

in what is now the U.S. state of Ohio.

The mound is shaped like a snake.

194 Mound Builder BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

examples of platform mounds. The

people of the Mississippian culture built

those mounds, shaped like flat-topped

pyramids, between about AD 900 and

1200.

#More to explore

Adena Culture • Hopewell Culture

• Mississippian Culture • Native

Americans

Mountain

A mountain is a landform that rises high

above its surroundings. Taller than a hill,

it usually has steep slopes and a rounded

or sharp peak. Mountains are rarely

found alone. Groups of mountains are

called ranges. Lines of ranges form

mountain belts.

How MountainsWere Formed

Some mountains were formed by the

activity of volcanoes. Scientists believe

that most volcanic mountains are made

up of rock that melted deep within

Earth. The rock rose through Earth’s

surface, or crust. It then flowed onto the

surface in the form of lava. The lava,

along with volcanic dust, built up to

form mountains. Volcanic mountains

are typically steep and cone shaped.

Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Kilimanjaro

in Africa, and Mount Rainier in the

United States are examples of volcanic

mountains.

Other mountains were formed by movements

within Earth’s crust. The theory

called plate tectonics explains this type

of mountain building. Earth’s crust is

divided into huge pieces called plates,

which move very slowly. The continents

sit on top of the plates and move with

them. At times the plates collide, forcing

the rock upward. The Himalayas of Asia

are an example of this type of mountain

chain. They were formed when a plate

carrying India collided with the Asian

plate.

Living in Mountain Lands

Mountain ranges are natural barriers to

travel. Roads are difficult to build across

them. Railroads need expensive tunnels

to cross even low mountains. Therefore

mountain ranges tend to divide the

people on either side of them. They

often form borders between countries.

Life is hard in mountain lands. The high

places of the world are cold and have

little soil, making farming difficult.

However, many mountain areas are

vacation resorts. Skiing and climbing are

popular mountain sports.

#More to explore

Fuji, Mount • Himalayas • Kilimanjaro,

Hiking is a popular mountain sport. Mount • Plate Tectonics • Volcano

Earth’s highest

mountain is

Mount Everest.

It is in the

Himalayas, on

the border

between

Nepal and

China. It is

29,035 feet

(8,850 meters)

high.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Mountain 195

Mount Olympus

#see Olympus, Mount.

Mouse

Mice are small, gnawing mammals that

belong to the rodent family. They can be

found almost everywhere in the world.

In many countries they are the most

common animal.

There are 38 species, or types, of mouse.

The most commonly known is the

house mouse. It is most often found in

buildings. The house mouse grows to

about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long

from its nose to the tip of its tail. It has a

scaly tail that is about half as long as its

body. Its fur is brown or gray.

Mice live mainly on the ground and are

active at night. Some types are good

climbers while others are strong swimmers.

They use their senses of smell and

hearing to find their way around. House

mice build their nests in hidden spots

near food. Mice eat almost anything,

including seeds, grains, and insects.

Sometimes they eat human foods.