Vigée-Lebrun, Elizabeth. 1755-1842. French portrait painter. Marie-Antoinette.

Voltaire, François. 1694-1778. French philosopher vs tyranny, bigotry, cruelty. Challenged accepted beliefs. Quotations became revolutionary slogans. Lettres Philosophique 1734. Candide 1758.

Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr. 1922-. US satirical novelist, social critic. Player Piano 1952. Slaughterhouse Five 1969.

Voodoo. Carribean religious cult of ritual and magic. Synthesis of African rites and French Roman Catholicism.

Voting Rights Act. 1965. US eliminates tests that disqualified black voters.

Warlords. 1916-49. China generals seized local power on Yüan Shih-K’ai’s death. Last eliminated by communists.

Warren, Robert. 1905-89. US Fugitive novelist. All the King’s Men 1946.

Wells, H. G. 1866-1946. English Science Fiction fantasy and social novelist. Time Machine 1895; War of the Worlds 1898.

West, Nathanael. 1903-40. US novelist. Absurd, black humour. Miss Lonelyhearts 1933. Day of the Locusts 1939.

Westminster Confession of Faith. 1647. Doctrine of Presbyterian religion of Westminster Assembly called by Long Parliament.

Westphalia, Peace of. 1648. Conclusion of the Thirty Years War between Germany, France, and Sweden and Spanish-Dutch 80 Years War. Formal recognition of Swiss independence. Dutch independence. HRE weakened. Religious toleration. Confirmed Augsburg.

Weyden, Rogier van der. c1400-64. Flemish religious painter. Adoration of Child 1462.

Wharton, Edith. 1862-1937. US novelist. Ethan Frome 1911. Age of Innocence 1920.

White, Patrick. 1912-90. Australian novelist, activist. The Aunt’s Story 1948.

Whitefield, George. 1714-70. English evangelist, founder of Calvinistic Methodist Church. Stimulated 18C religious revival.

Whitney, Eli. 1765-1825. US inventor. Cotton gin, 1793. Mass production with interchangeable parts 1801.

Wiesel, Elie. 1928-. Romanian Holocaust victim, author. After the Darkness 2002. Foundation for Humanity. .

Wolfe, Tom. 1900-38. US novelist. Look Homeward, Angel 1929.

Wyclif(fe), John. c1330-84. English religious reformer. Lollard leader. Advocated religion from within rather than mechanical practice. Began First English translation of bible.

Yonge, Charlotte. 1823-1901. English Victorian novelist: Heir of Radclyffe 1853. Daisy Chain 1856. Oxford Movement.

Zeppelin, Ferdinand von. 1838-1917. German constructor of dirigibles 1900-. 1928 Graf Zeppelin around world. Transatlantic service 1928-37. Hindenburg.

Zola, Emile. 1840-1902. French “scientific” novelist: Nana 1880. Dreyfus supporter. Realist. Founded Naturalist Movement. Thérèse Raquin 1867. J’accuse 1898.

Zoroaster. Zarathustra. c628-551BC. Persian religious reformer, founder of Zoroastrianism. World is an eternal struggle between forces of good and evil.

Zoroastrianism. 550BC-650. Monotheistic, dualist national religion of Persia. =Parsiism. Zoroaster.

Zurbaran, Francisco de. 1598-1664. Spanish religious Baroque tenebrist painter. Monk 1630.

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