Western Sahara. Spanish Sahara. 1976-91 Mauritania, Morocco, Polisario Independence Front dispute. 1991- awaiting referendum.

Western Samoa. Samoa. 1899 German. 1920 New Zealand League of Nations mandate. 1962 Independent.

Westinghouse, George. 1846-1914. US inventor/manufacturer. AC electricity distribution 1885.

Westminster Abbey. 7C Benedictine monastery. 1050-65 New Building, additions by Edward the Confessor; 1245 by Henry III. West towers 1745. Used for all British coronations since William I.

Westminster Assembly. 1643-52. Convened by Long Parliament to inaugurate Presbyterianism in England and Wales. Westminster Confession of Faith.

Westminster Conference. 1866-7. Planned independence of Canada under British North America Act.

Westminster Palace. 1860. British House of Parliament.

Westminster, Provisions of. 1259. Reenacted as Marlborough Statute 1267. Forced on Henry III by barons, limiting power. Barons War.

Westminster, Statute of. 1275,85,90. First reference to Great Council of England as Parliament. Reformed civil and criminal law. Legal protection for poor. 1931. British affirmation of autonomous dominion of British Empire countries. Established British Commonwealth.

Westminster, Treaties. 1654 Ends Dutch War. Dutch pay England. 1662 England, Brandenberg most-favoured nation status. 1674 Dutch American colonies to Britain. 1756 Prussia, British neutrality.

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

Westphalia. 700 Saxons settle. 1180 Duchy. 1803 Hohenzollern. 1807 Kingdom. 1815 Prussia.

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.

Weygand, Maxime. 1867-1965. French general. Foch’s Chief of Staff. Advised Pétain capitulation. WWI.

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

Wheatstone, Charles. 1802-75. English physicist: microphone. Telegraph 1836. Resistance bridge 1843. Concertina 1829. Stereoscope.

Wheel. 1535-1827. Form of torture originating in Germany.

Whig. 1679-19C. British political party =Liberal. Originally to oppose James II. Came to represent wealthy middle class. Tory.

Whiskey Ring. 1875. 110 convicted in US bribery scandal to save distillers excise taxes.

Whistler, James. 1834-1903. US painter. Use of light and color influenced abstract art. Arrangement in Black and Grey, No 1 (Whistler’s Mother) 1871.

Whitby, Synod. 664. Settled dispute, favoring Roman over Celtic church. Defined Easter date as first Sunday after full moon after vernal equinox. March 22 to April 25. Wilfrid.

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

Whitehead, Alfred. 1861-1947. English mathematician/philosopher. Metaphysical theory of reality. With Russell wrote Principia Mathematica 1913. Process and Reality 1929.

Whitehead, Robert. 1823-1905. British engineer. Torpedo 1866.

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