Baden-Powell, Robert. 1857-1941. English General, founded Boy Scouts 1908; Girl Guides with sister Agnes, 1910.

Badoglio, Pietro. 1871-1956. Italian. Conquered Ethiopia 1936. Arranged 1943 armistice. Prime Minister 1943-44.

Badr, Battle. 624. Muhammad’s first military victory. Defeats Umayyad caravan.

Baer, Karl. 1792-1876. Estonian/German naturalist: founded science of embryology. Discovered ovum 1827.

Baffin, William. 1584-1622. British explorer of Baffin Strait 1616.

Bahamas. Arawak. 1492 Columbus. 1646 English colonize. 1782-3 Spain. 1973 Independent.

Bahrain. 1521 Portugal. 1602 Persia. 1783 Khalifa dynasty. 1861 British protectorate. 1971 Independent.

Bain, Alexander. 1818-1903. Scottish pragmatist philosopher, psychologist. Logic 1870.

Balaam. Biblical prophet. Blessed Israelites after ass rebuked him.

Baldwin, Stanley. 1867-1947. British Conservative Prime Minister. 1923~37. General Strike. Opposed rearmament. “Safety First”.

Balearic Is. 654BC Phoenicia. 123BC Rome. 426 Vandal. 798 Moor. 1229 Independent Christian. 1349 Aragon. 1713 Brit (Minorca). 1802 Spain.

Balfour, Arthur. 1848-1930. British Prime Minister 1902-5. Opposed Irish Home Rule. Balfour Declaration.

Balfour Declaration. 1917. British support Jewish homeland in Palestine. Endorsed 1919 by Allies. Zionism.

Balkan Wars. 1912-13. Balkan League defeats Ottoman Empire. Turkish territory distributed. General dissatisfaction termed the “powder keg of Europe”.

Baltic Wars of Liberation. 1918-20. Established independent states of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.

Baltimore Incident. 1891. Chileans attack US seamen; pay reparations to avert war.

Banda, Hastings. c1902-97. Autocratic Malawi President 1963-. 1971- “President for Life”.

Bandaranaike, Sirimavo. 1916-2000. Ceylon Prime Minister 1960~77. World’s first woman Prime Minister.

Bandeira, Manuel. 1886-1968. Brazilian national poet. Carnival 1919.

Bank of England. 1694. Scotland 1695. N. America 1781. France 1800. Ireland 1783.

Banks, Joseph. 1743-1820. English botanist with Cook’s explorations.

Bannister, Roger. 1929-. English. Ran first 4 minute mile at Oxford, 1954.

Baptism. Purification by water as practised by a wide variety of religions.

Bar, Confederation of. 1768-72. Polish RC nobles vs Russian hegemony.

Bara, Joseph. 1779-93. French Republican child hero.

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