nonobjective art See abstract art
Nonpartisan League Alliance of U.S. farmers to gain protection from wheat monopolies. Founded in North Dakota in 1915 by Arthur Townley, it demanded that mills, grain elevators, banks, and hail- insurance companies be state owned. In 1916 its candidate, Lynn Frazier, was elected governor of North Dakota, and the state legislature enacted its program in 1919. The league declined after the 1920s and affiliated with the Democrats in 1956.
nonrepresentational art See abstract art
nonsense verse Humorous or whimsical verse that features absurd characters and actions and often contains evocative but meaningless words coined for the verse. It is unlike the ritualistic gibberish of chil¬ dren’s counting-out rhymes in that it makes such words sound purpose¬ ful. It differs from other comic verse in its resistance to any rational or allegorical interpretation. Most nonsense verse has been written for chil¬ dren and is modern, dating from the beginning of the 19th century. Examples include Edward Lear’s Book of Nonsense (1846), Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky” (1871), and Hilaire Belloc’s Bad Child’s Book of Beasts (1896). See also limerick.
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs See NSAIDs
Nootka Vnut-k9\ or (since 1980) Nuu-chah-nulth Any of several bands of Northwest Coast Indian people of southwestern Vancouver Island, B.C., Can., and northwestern Washington, U.S. The name Nuu- chah-nulth, which they adapted in preference to Nootka (given them by others), means “Along the Mountains.” They speak a Wakashan language. Culturally related to the Kwakiutl, the Nootka were specialized whale hunters. They moved seasonally, returning to their principal homesites during the winter. Local groups were usually socially and politically inde¬ pendent. The most important religious ceremony was the shaman’s dance, a reenactment of mythological themes that ended with a potlatch. Today the Nuu-chah-nulth number about 6,000.
Nootka Sound Controversy (1790) Dispute between Spain and Britain over ship seizures off the western Canadian coast. Spain seized four British trading ships in Nootka Sound, an inlet of Vancouver Island, Can., in accordance with Spanish claims to the northwestern coast of America. Britain threatened war, maintaining that sovereignty necessi¬ tated actual occupation of the land. Spain yielded to British demands and signed an agreement acknowledging the right of each country to trade and establish settlements on unoccupied land.
Nora Ancient city, southwest of Cagliari, Sardinia. Ruins from the 7th century bc indicate that the site was first settled by Phoenicians. It was the capital of Sardinia after the Roman annexation in the 1st century ad. Excavations have revealed a wealthy imperial Roman city with a theatre, an aqueduct, a temple of Juno, a nymphaeum, and private villas overly¬ ing a typical Phoenician port.
noradrenaline See norepinephrine
Nordenskiold Vniir-don-.shoeldV (Nils) Adolf Erik, Frihere (baron) (b. Nov. 18, 1832, Helsinki, Fin.—d. Aug. 12, 1901, Dalbyo,
Swed.) Finnish-born Swedish geologist, mineralogist, geographer, and explorer. In 1858 he settled in Stockholm and became professor and cura¬ tor of mineralogy at the Swedish State Museum. He led several expedi¬ tions to the Arctic island of Spitsbergen between 1864 and 1873, and in 1870 he led an expedition to western Greenland. In 1878-79, on the steam vessel Vega, he sailed from Norway to Alaska on the first expedition to successfully navigate the Northeast Passage. He was created a baron on his return. In 1883 he became the first to break through the great sea ice barrier of the southeast Greenland coast.
Nordic skiing Skiing techniques and events of Scandinavian origin that include cross-country skiing and ski jumping. Nordic events were included in the first Winter Olympics in 1924. See also Alpine skiing.
norepinephrine V.nor-.ep-o-'nef-ronV or noradrenaline One of two
catecholamine hormones (epinephrine is the other) secreted by the adrenal glands, as well as at nerve endings, as a neurotransmitter. It resembles adrenaline chemically and in its actions on the body, which mimic sym¬ pathetic nervous system stimulation. It constricts most blood vessels and is given for certain types of shock. Norepinephrine is formed from tyrosine and converted to epinephrine. It was discovered by Ulf von Euler-Chelpin (1905-83) in the mid-1940s.
Norfolk Vn6r-fok\ Administrative and historic county (pop., 2001: 796,733), eastern England. Bounded by Suffolk (south), Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire (west), and the North Sea (north and east), it is low- lying and has reed swamps, including the famous Broads that resulted from medieval peat cutting and a subsequent change in sea level. Pale¬ olithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic artifacts have been found, including impressive Stone Age flint mines in Breckland. In the Middle Ages the region’s prosperity depended mainly on wool. Among the county’s most important cities is Norwich. The economy is now largely agricultural.
Norfolk City (pop., 2000: 234,403), southeastern Virginia, U.S. A port of entry on the Elizabeth River, it is located just south of Hampton Roads. Founded in 1682, it was incorporated as a borough in 1736. It was destroyed by fires in 1776 and 1799. Yellow fever killed 10% of the popu¬ lation in 1855. During the American Civil War the city was occupied by Union troops. Prosperity resumed after 1870 when railroads linked the port to other trade centres. With Newport News and Portsmouth it makes up the Port of Hampton Roads. Shipping, shipbuilding, and light indus¬ try are the major economic activities. Norfolk is the headquarters of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and NATO’s Supreme Allied Command, Atlantic.
Norfolk, Thomas Howard, 2nd duke of (b. 1443—d. May 21,
1524, Framlingham, Suffolk, Eng.) English noble prominent in the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. Son of the 1st duke of Norfolk, he was made steward of the royal household and created earl of Surrey in 1483. While fighting for Richard III, he was taken prisoner (and his father killed) in the Battle of Bosworth Field. After his release in 1489, he commanded the defense of the Scottish borders and later defeated the Scots at the Battle of Flodden. Norfolk later served as lord treasurer and a privy councillor, and he helped arrange the marriage of Margaret Tudor to James IV of Scot¬ land. In 1520 he was guardian of England during Henry VIII’s absence in France.
Norfolk, Thomas Howard, 3rd duke of (b. 1473—d. Aug. 25, 1554, Kenninghall, Norfolk, Eng.) English noble prominent in the reign of Henry VIII. Son of the 2nd duke of Norfolk, he was made lord high admiral in 1513 and helped rout the Scots at the Battle of Flodden. Suc¬ ceeding his father as duke (1524), he led the faction opposed to Cardinal Wolsey, whom he replaced as president of the royal council in 1529. He supported the marriage of his niece Anne Boleyn to Henry (1533), but later (as lord high steward) he presided over her trial (1536). He skillfully suppressed the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion and by 1540 was the most powerful of Henry’s councillors. His position weakened after his niece Catherine Howard was put to death (1542) and his son Henry Howard (1517-47) was executed for treason. Imprisoned as an accessory to his son, he was released by Queen Mary in 1553.
Norfolk, Thomas Howard, 4th duke of (b. March 10, 1538, Kenninghall, Norfolk, Eng.—d. June 2, 1572, London) English noble executed for his intrigues against Queen Elizabeth I. He was the grandson of the 3rd duke of Norfolk, whom he succeeded as duke in 1554. In favour with both Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, Norfolk commanded the English forces that invaded Scotland in 1559-60. He led the commission to resolve problems between Mary, Queen of Scots, and Scotland’s Prot-
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estant nobility (1568). He became involved in a plan to free Mary from imprisonment by marrying her and was arrested after a failed revolt by Catholic nobles (1569). Released in 1570, Norfolk was drawn into another plot to install Mary on the English throne through a Spanish invasion of England; discovery of the plot led to his arrest and execution.