Cleveland Circle is an area of Boston, Massachusetts . It is located at the southern tip of Boston's Brighton neighborhood, and more specifically the Aberdeen section of Brighton, in close proximity to Brookline and Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts , at the intersection of Beacon Street and Chestnut Hill Avenue.
110-412: Cleveland Circle is the commercial "town center" of Aberdeen, a residential area of apartment buildings and free-standing homes, populated primarily by working professionals of all ages, as well as seniors. The area also has student rentals inhabited primarily by students from nearby Boston College , but nevertheless, student renters are the smallest segment of the area's population. This part of Brighton
220-550: A writing system , built huge pyramids and temples , had a complex calendar , and developed the concept of zero around 400 CE. The first recorded European references to North America are in Norse sagas where it is referred to as Vinland . The earliest verifiable instance of pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact by any European culture with the North America mainland has been dated to around 1000 CE. The site , situated at
330-487: A " city upon a hill ", he re-imagined Boston College as a beacon of Jesuit scholarship. Less than a year after taking office, he purchased Amos Adams Lawrence 's farm on Chestnut Hill , six miles (10 km) west of downtown. He organized an international competition for the design of a campus master plan and set about raising funds for the construction of the "new" university. Construction began in 1909. By 1913, construction costs had surpassed available funds, and, as
440-550: A more sophisticated financial strategy. BC merged with Newton College of the Sacred Heart in that same year, acquiring its 40-acre campus just 1.5 miles away, which allowed the Boston College Law School to relocate and provided much-needed housing for an increasingly residential student body. In April 1976, BC launched a capital campaign with a goal of raising $ 21 million but ultimately secured $ 25 million. By 1982,
550-648: A period of mountain building called the Laramide orogeny , between 80 and 55 mya. The formation of the Isthmus of Panama that connected the continent to South America arguably occurred approximately 12 to 15 mya, and the Great Lakes (as well as many other northern freshwater lakes and rivers) were carved by receding glaciers about 10,000 years ago. North America is the source of much of what humanity knows about geologic time periods. The geographic area that would later become
660-506: A play on the "bald" head of the American bald eagle and the word "win," embodies the spirit of the Eagles. "For Boston" is claimed to be America's oldest college fight song , composed by T. J. Hurley in 1885. It has two verses but the most commonly sung one is the first verse. Boston-based band Dropkick Murphys covered this song on their album Sing Loud, Sing Proud! . Changes have been made to
770-571: A powerful earthquake killed seven people in 2009. Volcanic eruptions are common in the region. In 1968, the Arenal Volcano , in Costa Rica, erupted and killed 87 people. Fertile soils from weathered volcanic lavas have made it possible to sustain dense populations in agriculturally productive highland areas. Central America has many mountain ranges ; the longest are the Sierra Madre de Chiapas ,
880-690: A red bandanna that he often carried to keep from breathing in smoke and debris. North America North America is a continent in the Northern and Western Hemispheres . North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean , to the east by the Atlantic Ocean , to the southeast by South America and the Caribbean Sea , and to the west and south by the Pacific Ocean . The region includes
990-409: A residential model, small class sizes, and mentorship, preparing graduates for workforce entry or transfer to four-year institutions. Its annual operating budget is approximately $ 1.02 billion. The most recent and ongoing fundraising campaign, dubbed "Soaring Higher", was announced on September 28, 2023. The campaign aims to raise $ 3 billion, double the last campaign's goal. Of this goal, $ 1.1 billion
1100-403: A result, Gasson Hall , "New BC's" main building, stood alone on Chestnut Hill for its first three years. While Maginnis's ambitious plans were never fully realized, BC's first "capital campaign"—which included a large replica of Gasson Hall's clock tower set up on Boston Common to measure the fundraising progress—ensured that President Gasson's vision survived. By the 1920s, BC began to fill out
1210-532: A similarly broad range of sports, including ACC competitions in basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. Beyond the ACC, they also compete in fencing, ice hockey, sailing, and skiing. The main venue for football is Alumni Stadium , which accommodates 44,500 spectators. It stands as the centerpiece of Boston College’s athletic facilities. Conte Forum , housing Kelley Rink , serves as
SECTION 10
#17328562084891320-531: A transatlantic exchange , including migrations of European settlers during the Age of Discovery and the early modern period . Present-day cultural and ethnic patterns reflect interactions between European colonists, indigenous peoples , enslaved Africans , immigrants from Europe, Asia, and descendants of these respective groups. Europe's colonization in North America led to most North Americans speaking European languages, such as English , Spanish , and French , and
1430-540: A variety of reactions, including curiosity, trading, cooperation, resignation, and resistance. The indigenous population declined substantially following European arrival, primarily due to the introduction of Eurasian diseases, such as smallpox , to which the indigenous peoples lacked immunity, and because of violent conflicts with Europeans. Indigenous culture changed significantly and their affiliation with political and cultural groups also changed. Several linguistic groups died out , and others changed quite quickly. On
1540-602: Is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education . The Order of the Cross and Crown, founded in 1939, is the College of Arts and Sciences honor society for seniors who have achieved an average of at least A−, as well as established records of unusual service and leadership on the campus. The selections committee, composed of the deans, faculty members, and administration, appoints specially distinguished members of
1650-677: Is 175 acres and features over 120 buildings set atop a hill overlooking the Chestnut Hill Reservoir . The campus is accessible via the Boston College station , situated at St. Ignatius Gate. This station serves as the western terminus of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Green Line 's B branch (also known as the "Boston College" line), connecting the university to downtown Boston and other destinations. In 2017, Boston College acquired
1760-681: Is a historic district and features some of the earliest examples of collegiate gothic architecture in North America . The campus is 6 miles west of downtown Boston . Boston College athletic teams are the Eagles . Their colors are maroon and gold and their mascot is Baldwin the Eagle . The Eagles compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference in all sports offered by
1870-509: Is a historical streetcar suburb . The Cleveland Circle station is the terminus of the Green Line C branch of the MBTA's Green Line . Reservoir station on the Green Line D branch is one block to the south. Chestnut Hill Avenue on the Green Line B branch is a short walk away. Chestnut Hill Avenue was laid out in 1845, and Beacon Street in 1850. Reservoir opened as a commuter rail station on
1980-640: Is a very large continent that extends from north of the Arctic Circle to south of the Tropic of Cancer . Greenland, along with the Canadian Shield , is tundra with average temperatures ranging from 10 to 20 °C (50 to 68 °F), but central Greenland is composed of a very large ice sheet. This tundra radiates throughout Canada, but its border ends near the Rocky Mountains (but still contains Alaska) and at
2090-511: Is an ancient craton which forms the geologic core of North America; it formed between 1.5 and 1.0 billion years ago during the Proterozoic eon. The Canadian Shield is the largest exposure of this craton. From the Late Paleozoic to Early Mesozoic eras, North America was joined with the other modern-day continents as part of the supercontinent Pangaea , with Eurasia to its east. One of
2200-607: Is earmarked for student financial aid, $ 750 million is for student life initiatives, and $ 1.15 billion is for academic programs. As of 2005, there were 112 Jesuits living on the Boston College campus, including members of the faculty and administration, graduate students, and visiting international scholars. The chapel for the university is located in St. Mary's Hall, the Jesuit residential facility. Additional BC chapels are Trinity Chapel on
2310-535: Is in present-day Panama at the Darien Gap on the Colombia -Panama border, placing almost all of Panama within North America. Alternatively, some geologists physiographically locate its southern limit at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec , Mexico, with Central America extending southeastward to South America from this point. The Caribbean islands, or West Indies, are considered part of North America. The continental coastline
SECTION 20
#17328562084892420-630: Is long and irregular. The Gulf of Mexico is the largest body of water indenting the continent, followed by Hudson Bay . Others include the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the Gulf of California . Before the Central American isthmus formed, the region had been underwater. The islands of the West Indies delineate a submerged former land bridge , which had connected North and South America via what are now Florida and Venezuela . There are several islands off
2530-548: Is part of North America geographically. In a geologic sense, Bermuda is not part of the Americas, but an oceanic island that was formed on the fissure of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge over 100 million years ago (mya). The nearest landmass to it is Cape Hatteras , North Carolina . However, Bermuda is often thought of as part of North America, especially given its historical, political and cultural ties to Virginia and other parts of
2640-729: Is substituted for "Hispanic"), has become common on a number of other American university campuses. Boston College, which has registered the term AHANA as a trademark , has granted official permission for its use to over 50 institutions and organizations in the United States . Many more use the term unofficially. Other institutions that use the AHANA acronym include Suffolk University , Cleveland State University , Eastern Mennonite University , Saint Martin's University , Le Moyne College , and Salem State University . There have been cases of racist graffiti and vandalism on dorm walls. "Alma Mater"
2750-686: Is the Morrison Formation of the western U.S. Canada is geologically one of the oldest regions in the world, with more than half of the region consisting of Precambrian rocks that have been above sea level since the beginning of the Palaeozoic era. Canada's mineral resources are diverse and extensive. Across the Canadian Shield and in the north there are large iron, nickel, zinc , copper, gold, lead, molybdenum , and uranium reserves. Large diamond concentrations have been recently developed in
2860-516: Is the humid subtropical climate . This area has the wettest cities in the contiguous U.S. , with annual precipitation reaching 67 in (1,700 mm) in Mobile, Alabama . Stretching from the borders of the humid continental and subtropical climates, and going west to the Sierra Nevada , south to the southern tip of Durango , north to the border with tundra climate, the steppe / desert climates are
2970-549: The Forbes 2023 edition of "America's Top Colleges". In 2016, the undergraduate school of business, the Carroll School of Management , placed 3rd in an annual ranking of U.S. undergraduate business schools by Bloomberg Businessweek . A 2007 Princeton Review survey of parents that asked "What 'dream college' would you most like to see your child attend were prospects of acceptance or cost not issues?" placed BC 6th. Boston College
3080-826: The Archdiocese of Boston . This included the archdiocese's former headquarters, sold to the university in 2004 for $ 107,400,000. This land holds a variety of buildings for the school of theology, along with facilities for the men's baseball and women's softball team. The Brookline campus is home to Messina College (formerly Pine Manor College), which includes several residence halls and other academic and athletic facilities. Messina College opened in July 2024 for over 100 first-generation college students. It offers associate degrees in applied data science, health sciences, general business, and applied psychology and human development. The college emphasizes support for underprivileged students through
3190-551: The Bering Strait during the Early-Middle Holocene . Prior to the arrival of European explorers and colonists in North America, the natives of North America were divided into many different polities, ranging from small bands of a few families to large empires. They lived in several culture areas , which roughly correspond to geographic and biological zones that defined the representative cultures and lifestyles of
3300-544: The Big East Conference from 1979–80 to 2004–05. Notably, Boston College was the only Catholic institution that played football in the Big East. The men’s teams participate in several ACC sports, such as baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track & field. Additionally, the Eagles compete in non-ACC sports like fencing, ice hockey, sailing, and skiing. The women’s teams have
3410-576: The British Columbia Coast , Western Canada , and Northern Canada . In the U.S., they include New England , the Mid-Atlantic , South Atlantic states , East North Central states , West North Central states , East South Central states , West South Central states , Mountain states , and Pacific states . The Great Lakes region and the Pacific Northwest include areas in both Canada and
Cleveland Circle - Misplaced Pages Continue
3520-863: The Caribbean Plate , whereas the Juan de Fuca Plate and Cocos Plate border the North American Plate on its western frontier. The continent can be divided into four great regions (each of which contains many subregions): the Great Plains stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian Arctic ; the geologically young, mountainous west, including the Rocky Mountains , the Great Basin , California , and Alaska ;
3630-879: The Charles River Branch Railroad (by then merged into the Charles River Railroad) in November 1852. In 1883, the Boston and Albany Railroad bought the line between Brookline Junction and Cook Junction and extended it to Reservoir as its Highland branch , running Newton Circuit service beginning in 1886. The addition of the West End Street Railway on Beacon Street in 1887 caused a construction boom in Brookline and Cleveland Circle, by making it easy for residents to commute into work in downtown Boston. The line
3740-553: The Cordillera Isabelia , and the Cordillera de Talamanca . Between the mountain ranges lie fertile valleys that are suitable for the people; in fact, most of the population of Honduras, Costa Rica, and Guatemala live in valleys. Valleys are also suitable for the production of coffee, beans, and other crops. The indigenous peoples of the Americas have many creation myths , based on which they assert that they have been present on
3850-459: The East Coast to eastern North Dakota , and stretching down to Kansas , is the humid continental climate featuring intense seasons, with a large amount of annual precipitation, with places like New York City averaging 50 in (1,300 mm). Starting at the southern border of the humid continental climate and stretching to the Gulf of Mexico (whilst encompassing the eastern half of Texas)
3960-608: The Inuit of the high Arctic arrived in North America much later than other native groups, evidenced by the disappearance of Dorset culture artifacts from the archaeological record and their replacement by the Thule people . During the thousands of years of native habitation on the continent, cultures changed and shifted. One of the oldest yet discovered is the Clovis culture (c. 9550–9050 BCE) in modern New Mexico . Later groups include
4070-694: The Mississippian culture and related Mound building cultures, found in the Mississippi River valley and the Pueblo culture of what is now the Four Corners . The more southern cultural groups of North America were responsible for the domestication of many common crops now used around the world, such as tomatoes, squash , and maize . As a result of the development of agriculture in the south, many other cultural advances were made there. The Mayans developed
4180-710: The Panic of 1873 delayed development of the new streets. 42°20′09″N 71°09′03″W / 42.3359°N 71.1507°W / 42.3359; -71.1507 Boston College Boston College ( BC ) is a private Catholic Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts . Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus , the university has more than 15,000 total students. The university offers bachelor's degrees , master's degrees , and doctoral degrees through its eight colleges and schools. Its main campus
4290-490: The Yawkey Athletics Center , opened in 2005, further enhances the university's athletic infrastructure. The official school colors, maroon and gold, are displayed at all athletic events. Eagle mascot – Baldwin: The Eagle serves as the iconic mascot for Boston College, with the character Baldwin the Eagle representing this symbol of pride and tradition at football, hockey, and basketball games. Baldwin, named as
4400-480: The first official name given to Mexico. North America includes several regions and subregions, each of which have their own respective cultural, economic, and geographic regions. Economic regions include several regions formalized in 20th- and 21st-century trade agreements, including NAFTA between Canada , Mexico , and the United States , and CAFTA between Central America , the Dominican Republic , and
4510-456: The fourth-largest continent by population after Asia, Africa, and Europe . As of 2021 , North America's population was estimated as over 592 million people in 23 independent states , or about 7.5% of the world's population. In human geography , the terms "North America" and "North American" can refer to Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Greenland or, alternatively, Canada, Greenland and
Cleveland Circle - Misplaced Pages Continue
4620-453: The 1490s, building cities, putting the resident indigenous populations to work, raising crops for Spanish settlers and panning gold to enrich the Spaniards. Much of the indigenous population died due to disease and overwork, spurring the Spaniards on to claim new lands and peoples. An expedition under the command of Spanish settler, Hernán Cortés , sailed westward in 1519 to what turned out to be
4730-584: The 24-acre Mishkan Tefila Synagogue property in Chestnut Hill, which was previously used for administrative services and event parking. The synagogue's 806-seat auditorium has since been transformed into the university's largest theater venue for the Robsham Theater Arts Center, alongside a ballroom-style multi-purpose room and a hexagon-shaped meeting room for various events. An outdoor quad is also available for performances and gatherings. In 2019,
4840-498: The ACC. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Hockey East . Boston College's men's ice hockey team has won five national championships. Alumni and affiliates of the university include governors, ambassadors, members of Congress, scholars, writers, medical researchers, Hollywood actors, and professional athletes. Boston College alumni include three Rhodes , 22 Truman , and 171 Fulbright scholars. Boston College
4950-462: The Arctic, making Canada one of the world's largest producers. Throughout the Shield, there are many mining towns extracting these minerals. The largest, and best known, is Sudbury , Ontario. Sudbury is an exception to the normal process of forming minerals in the Shield since there is significant evidence that the Sudbury Basin is an ancient meteorite impact crater . The nearby, but less-known Temagami Magnetic Anomaly has striking similarities to
5060-460: The Bahamas , Bermuda , Canada , the Caribbean , Central America , Clipperton Island , Greenland , Mexico , Saint Pierre and Miquelon , Turks and Caicos Islands , and the United States . North America covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 square miles), representing approximately 16.5% of the Earth 's land area and 4.8% of its total surface area. It is the third-largest continent by size after Asia and Africa , and
5170-438: The Baroque Image," which helped establish the museum's reputation. Before the Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr. Library opened in 1984, Bapst Library had served as BC’s main research facility since 1925. During Monan's tenure, the university transformed from a small college into a national institution. Monan played a key role in planning O’Neill Library to meet the needs of this transformation. In a 1992 interview, Monan expressed pride in
5280-487: The Boston College Master Plan was approved by city authorities, allowing the university to enter the design and planning phases for its ambitious development projects. Through these initiatives, Boston College has continued to adapt and evolve as a prominent institution in higher education. The Boston College campus is known generally as the "Heights" and to some as the "Crowned Hilltop" due largely to its location and presence of buildings featuring gothic towers reaching into
5390-478: The Caribbean islands. France took the western half of Hispaniola and developed Saint-Domingue as a cane sugar producing colony worked by black slave labor. Britain took Barbados and Jamaica , and the Dutch and Danes took islands previously claimed by Spain. Britain did not begin settling on the North American mainland until a hundred years after the first Spanish settlements, since it sought first to control nearby Ireland . The first permanent English settlement
5500-432: The City of Newton took approximately 17 wooded acres of the property through eminent domain. In 2020, Boston College further expanded its mission by acquiring Pine Manor College , a financially struggling liberal arts institution in Chestnut Hill that served a significant number of first-generation and inner-city students. In 1975, Boston College merged with Newton College of the Sacred Heart . The Centre Street campus of
5610-418: The Cod fish", in reference to the abundance of cod fish on the East Coast . Waldseemüller used the Latin version of Vespucci's name, Americus Vespucius, in its feminine form of "America", following the examples of "Europa", "Asia", and "Africa". Americus originated from Medieval Latin Emericus (see Saint Emeric of Hungary ), coming from the Old High German name Emmerich . Map makers later extended
SECTION 50
#17328562084895720-458: The Hudson neighborhood of South End, Boston, Massachusetts , in 1857. On April 1, 1863, the College was granted a university charter by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , allowing the Board of Trustees to confer degrees typically awarded by colleges in the state. Reverend John Bapst , S.J., served as the first President of BC and launched the collegiate instruction program on September 5, 1864. The average age of students in its early years
5830-399: The Last Glacial Period, and lasted until about 10,000 years ago when the Archaic period began. The classic stage followed the Archaic period, and lasted from approximately the 6th to 13th centuries. Beginning in 1000 AD, the Norse were the first Europeans to begin exploring and ultimately colonizing areas of North America. In 1492, the exploratory voyages of Christopher Columbus led to
5940-509: The Newton Campus, St. Joseph's Chapel in the Basement of Gonzaga Hall on Upper Campus, Simboli Hall Chapel on the Brighton Campus, and St. Catherine of Sienna Chapel in Cushing Hall. Over 70 Catholic Masses are celebrated on Campus each week during the Academic Year. The college also maintains close relations with the nearby Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. St. Columbkille Parish is a Catholic Church and elementary school in Brighton , Massachusetts , that has an alliance with BC. Under
6050-421: The Newton College has since become housing for freshman of Boston College and the current location of the Boston College Law School . Athletic fields for some of Boston College's teams have also been constructed on Newton Campus. The campus is located 1 mile west of the main campus and is serviced by the university bus system. Between 2004 and 2007, Boston College acquired 65 acres (260,000 m ) of land from
6160-419: The North America's southeastern coast, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León , who had accompanied Columbus's second voyage, visited and named in 1513 La Florida . As the colonial period unfolded, Spain, England, and France appropriated and claimed extensive territories in North America eastern and southern coastlines. Spain established permanent settlements on the Caribbean islands of Hispaniola and Cuba in
6270-403: The Order to be its officers as Chief Marshal and Marshals. Induction into the Cross and Crown Honor Society is one of the highest and most prestigious honors that BC students can receive. For the Class of 2028, Boston College received 35,475 applications, of which it admitted 15.9%, approximately the same as for the previous year's class. The interquartile (middle 50%) of admitted students of
6380-416: The Sudbury Basin. Its magnetic anomalies are very similar to the Sudbury Basin, and so it could be a second metal-rich impact crater. The Shield is also covered by vast boreal forests that support an important logging industry. The United States can be divided into twelve main geological provinces: Each province has its own geologic history and unique features. The geology of Alaska is typical of that of
6490-410: The U.S. North America occupies the northern portion of the landmass generally referred to as the New World, the Western Hemisphere , the Americas, or simply America, which, in many countries, is considered a single continent with North America a subcontinent . North America is the third-largest continent by area after Asia and Africa . North America's only land connection to South America
6600-522: The US (Mexico being classified as part of Latin America ) or simply Canada and the US (Greenland being classified as either Arctic or European (due to its political status as a part of Denmark) and Mexico classified as Latin American). It is unknown with certainty how and when first human populations first reached North America. People were known to live in the Americas at least 20,000 years ago, but various evidence points to possibly earlier dates. The Paleo-Indian period in North America followed
6710-429: The United States has been the source of more varieties of dinosaurs than any other modern country. According to paleontologist Peter Dodson, this is primarily due to stratigraphy, climate and geography, human resources, and history. Much of the Mesozoic Era is represented by exposed outcrops in the many arid regions of the continent. The most significant Late Jurassic dinosaur-bearing fossil deposit in North America
SECTION 60
#17328562084896820-550: The United States, and Mexico. France , Italy , Portugal , Spain , Romania , Greece , and the countries of Latin America use a six-continent model , with the Americas viewed as a single continent and North America designating a subcontinent comprising Canada , the United States , Mexico, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon (politically part of France), and often including Greenland and Bermuda . North America has historically been known by other names, including Spanish North America, New Spain , and América Septentrional,
6930-527: The United States. North America is divided linguistically and culturally into two primary regions, Anglo-America and Latin America . Anglo-America includes most of North America, Belize , and Caribbean islands with English -speaking populations. There are also regions, including Louisiana and Quebec , with large Francophone populations; in Quebec , French is the official language. . The southern portion of North America includes Central America and non-English speaking Caribbean nations. The north of
7040-414: The West End Street Railway, renamed the Boston Elevated Railway , laid tracks along Commonwealth Avenue from Chestnut Hill Avenue to its existing tracks at Packard's Corner . The new Commonwealth Avenue line, which was electrified in 1909, prompted another local building boom along its length until around 1930. The BERy line is the predecessor of the present-day Green Line B branch . The Highland branch
7150-535: The agreement, the parish school is to be governed by a board of members and a board of trustees comprising representatives from the Archdiocese of Boston , Boston College, St. Columbkille Parish and the greater Boston community. Boston College is made up of a total of nine constituent colleges and schools: Boston College tied for 39th among national universities and tied for 625th among global universities in U.S. News & World Report 's "America's Best Colleges 2023-2024" rankings and 88th in
7260-435: The area had shifted to the Aztec Empire , whose capital city Tenochtitlan was located further north in the Valley of Mexico . The Aztecs were conquered in 1521 by Hernán Cortés . During the so-called Age of Discovery , Europeans explored overseas and staked claims to various parts of North America, much of which was already settled by indigenous peoples. Upon Europeans' arrival in the " New World ", indigenous peoples had
7370-522: The class of 2025 who submitted test scores under Boston College's test-optional policy possessed scores between 1450 and 1520 on the SAT and 33–34 on the ACT . The accepted class includes students from all 50 states and 75 foreign countries. The college is need-blind for domestic applicants. Boston College's eight research libraries contain over two million printed volumes. Including manuscripts, journals, government documents and microform items, ranging from ancient papyrus scrolls to digital databases,
7480-448: The collections have some twelve million items. Together with the university's museums, they include original manuscripts and prints by Galileo , Ignatius of Loyola , and Francis Xavier as well as collections in Jesuitana , Irish literature, sixteenth-century Flemish tapestries, ancient Greek pottery, Caribbean folk art and literature, Japanese prints , U.S. government documents, Congressional Archives , and paintings that span
7590-432: The continent maintains recognized regions as well. In contrast to the common definition of North America, which encompasses the whole North American continent, the term "North America" is sometimes used more narrowly to refer only to four nations, Canada, Greenland, Mexico, and the U.S. The U.S. Census Bureau includes Saint Pierre and Miquelon, but excludes Mexico from its definition. The term Northern America refers to
7700-452: The continent's coasts; principally, the Arctic Archipelago, the Bahamas , Turks and Caicos , the Greater and Lesser Antilles , the Aleutian Islands (some of which are in the Eastern Hemisphere proper), the Alexander Archipelago , the many thousand islands of the British Columbia Coast, and Newfoundland. Greenland , a self-governing Danish island, and the world's largest , is on the same tectonic plate (the North American Plate ) and
7810-410: The continent. The vast majority of North America is on the North American Plate. Parts of western Mexico, including Baja California, and of California , including the cities of San Diego , Los Angeles , and Santa Cruz , lie on the eastern edge of the Pacific Plate , with the two plates meeting along the San Andreas Fault . The southernmost portion of the continent and much of the West Indies lie on
7920-654: The cordillera, while the major islands of Hawaii consist of Neogene volcanics erupted over a hot spot . Central America is geologically active with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occurring from time to time. In 1976 Guatemala was hit by a major earthquake , killing 23,000 people; Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, was devastated by earthquakes in 1931 and 1972, the last one killing about 5,000 people; three earthquakes devastated El Salvador, one in 1986 and two in 2001; one earthquake devastated northern and central Costa Rica in 2009, killing at least 34 people; in Honduras
8030-669: The cultures of the region commonly reflect Western traditions . However, relatively small parts of North America in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central America have indigenous populations that continue adhering to their respective pre-European colonial cultural and linguistic traditions. The Americas were named after the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci by German cartographers Martin Waldseemüller and Matthias Ringmann . Vespucci explored South America between 1497 and 1502, and
8140-890: The dimensions of its university charter, establishing the Boston College Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the Boston College Law School , and the Woods College of Advancing Studies , followed successively by the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work , the Carroll School of Management , the Connell School of Nursing , and the Lynch School of Education and Human Development . In 1926, Boston College conferred its first degrees on women (though it did not become fully coeducational until 1970). On April 20, 1963, an address by President John F. Kennedy ,
8250-447: The driest in the U.S. Highland climates cut from north to south of the continent, where subtropical or temperate climates occur just below the tropics, as in central Mexico and Guatemala . Tropical climates appear in the island regions and in the subcontinent's bottleneck, found in countries and states bathed by the Caribbean Sea or to the south of the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean . Precipitation patterns vary across
8360-463: The end of the Canadian Shield, near the Great Lakes . Climate west of the Cascade Range is described as being temperate weather with average precipitation 20 inches (510 millimeters). Climate in coastal California is described to be Mediterranean , with average temperatures in cities like San Francisco ranging from 57 to 70 °F (14 to 21 °C) over the course of the year. Stretching from
8470-544: The first American inhabitants sailed from Beringia some 13,000 years ago, with widespread habitation of the Americas during the end of the Last Glacial Period , in what is known as the Late Glacial Maximum , around 12,500 years ago. The oldest petroglyphs in North America date from 15,000 to 10,000 years before present. Genetic research and anthropology indicate additional waves of migration from Asia via
8580-900: The geographic center of either the 50 states, the conterminous United States, or the North American continent." Nonetheless, there is a 4.6-meter (15 ft) field stone obelisk in Rugby claiming to mark the center. The North American continental pole of inaccessibility is located 1,650 km (1,030 mi) from the nearest coastline, between Allen and Kyle, South Dakota at 43°22′N 101°58′W / 43.36°N 101.97°W / 43.36; -101.97 ( Pole of Inaccessibility North America ) . Canada can be divided into roughly seven physiographic divisions: The lower 48 U.S. states can be divided into roughly eight physiographic divisions: Mexico can be divided into roughly fifteen physiographic divisions: North America
8690-624: The history of art from Europe , Asia , and the Americas . Libraries include: O'Neill, Bapst, Burns Library , Educational Resource Center of the Lynch School of Education and Human Development , BC Law Library, O'Connor Library at Weston Observatory (Boston College) , Social Work Library at the Boston College School of Social Work , and the Theology and Ministry Library. The McMullen Museum of Art , located on Boston College's Brighton campus,
8800-504: The home for basketball and ice hockey, with seating capacities of 8,606 and 7,884, respectively. The university also offers other key facilities, such as Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at John Shea Field, which is the home field for baseball with a capacity of 1,000, and the Newton Soccer Complex , which seats 1,000 fans. The Margot Connell Recreation Center provides additional support for athletic training and student recreation, while
8910-419: The indigenous people who lived there, including the bison hunters of the Great Plains and the farmers of Mesoamerica . Native groups also are classified by their language families , which included Athapascan and Uto-Aztecan languages. Indigenous peoples with similar languages did not always share the same material culture , however, and were not necessarily always allies. Anthropologists speculate that
9020-460: The land since its creation, but there is no evidence that humans evolved there. The specifics of the initial settlement of the Americas by ancient Asians are subject to ongoing research and discussion. The traditional theory has been that hunters entered the Bering Land Bridge between eastern Siberia and present-day Alaska from 27,000 to 14,000 years ago. A growing viewpoint is that
9130-473: The library's impact, noting how it was often filled with students studying and contributing to the overall learning experience for both students and faculty. Opened in 1928, Bapst Library was named for the first president of Boston College ( Johannes Bapst , S.J., 1815 to 1887) and it was one of the few structures built according to Charles Donagh Maginnis' original "Oxford in America" master plan. Bapst served as
9240-692: The mainland in Mexico. With local indigenous allies, the Spanish conquered the Aztec empire in central Mexico in 1521. Spain then established permanent cities in Mexico, Central America, and Spanish South America in the sixteenth century. Once Spaniards conquered the high civilization of the Aztecs and Incas, the Caribbean was a backwater of the Spanish empire. Other European powers began to intrude on areas claimed by Spain, including
9350-912: The middle into the main range of the Rockies and the coast ranges in California , Oregon , Washington , and British Columbia , with the Great Basin—a lower area containing smaller ranges and low-lying deserts—in between. The highest peak is Denali in Alaska. The U.S. Geographical Survey (USGS) states that the geographic center of North America is "6 miles [10 km] west of Balta, Pierce County, North Dakota " at about 48°10′N 100°10′W / 48.167°N 100.167°W / 48.167; -100.167 , about 24 kilometers (15 mi) from Rugby, North Dakota . The USGS further states that "No marked or monumented point has been established by any government agency as
9460-450: The name America to North America. In 1538, Gerardus Mercator used the term America on his world map of the entire Western Hemisphere . On his subsequent 1569 map , Mercator called North America "America or New India" ( America sive India Nova ). The Spanish Empire called its territories in North and South America "Las Indias", and the name given to the state body that oversaw the region
9570-472: The nation's first Catholic president who had received an honorary degree in 1956, was the highlight of a week-long centennial celebration. When J. Donald Monan , S.J. began his presidency on September 5, 1972, Boston College faced significant financial challenges, including a $ 30 million debt and a frozen salary structure for faculty and staff. During his tenure, the Boston College Board of Trustees
9680-493: The northernmost countries and territories of North America: the U.S., Bermuda , Canada, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon. Although the term does not refer to a unified region, Middle America includes Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. North America's largest countries by land area are Canada and the U.S., both of which have well-defined and recognized subregions. In Canada, these include (from east to west) Atlantic Canada , Central Canada , Canadian Prairies ,
9790-440: The northernmost extent of the island named Newfoundland , has provided unmistakable evidence of Norse settlement. Norse explorer Leif Erikson (c. 970–1020 CE) is thought to have visited the area. Erikson was the first European to make landfall on the continent (excluding Greenland). The Mayan culture was still present in southern Mexico and Guatemala when the Spanish conquistadors arrived, but political dominance in
9900-600: The presidency of William P. Leahy , S.J., which began after Monan's tenure, Boston College experienced significant growth and development. In 2002, Leahy initiated the Church in the 21st Century program, addressing issues facing the Catholic Church in light of the clergy sexual abuse scandal , which positioned BC as a leader in advocating for Church reform. Plans to merge with the Weston Jesuit School of Theology furthered
10010-586: The raised but relatively flat plateau of the Canadian Shield in the northeast; and the varied eastern region, which includes the Appalachian Mountains, the coastal plain along the Atlantic seaboard, and the Florida peninsula. Mexico, with its long plateaus and cordilleras , falls largely in the western region, although the eastern coastal plain does extend south along the Gulf. The western mountains are split in
10120-500: The region, and as such rainforest , monsoon , and savanna types can be found, with rains and high temperatures throughout the year. Notable North American fauna include the bison , black bear , jaguar , cougar , prairie dog , turkey , pronghorn , raccoon , coyote , and monarch butterfly . Notable plants that were domesticated in North America include tobacco , maize , squash , tomato , sunflower , blueberry , avocado , cotton , chile pepper , and vanilla . Laurentia
10230-478: The results of the formation of Pangaea was the Appalachian Mountains , which formed some 480 mya, making it among the oldest mountain ranges in the world. When Pangaea began to rift around 200 mya, North America became part of Laurasia , before it separated from Eurasia as its own continent during the mid- Cretaceous period. The Rockies and other western mountain ranges began forming around this time from
10340-682: The sky. The main campus is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The University also encompasses the Connors Family Retreat and Conference Center in Dover, Massachusetts , the Weston Observatory in Weston, Massachusetts , and various other properties in the region. Boston College's main campus, located in Chestnut Hill, 6 miles (9.7 km) west of downtown Boston,
10450-561: The song, including reworking the phrase "for here men are men" into "for here all are one" in the first verse. The Eagles annually wear red bandanna-themed uniforms in honor of fallen September 11, 2001 hero Welles Crowther , class of 1999. Crowther, who played on BC's lacrosse team, was an equity trader who died saving the lives of at least 10 people during the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. He used
10560-420: The university had enjoyed a decade of financial stability, with an endowment of $ 36 million by the end of the 1981-82 academic year. Following an aggressive capital campaign in 1989 that raised $ 136 million, the endowment reached $ 250 million, surpassed $ 350 million in 1992, and exceeded $ 500 million by 1995. When Monan transitioned to University Chancellor in 1996, the endowment had grown to $ 590 million. Under
10670-406: The university's ambition to be a leading intellectual center for Catholic theology in the United States. In 2007, BC announced a $ 1.6 billion master plan for campus revitalization over ten years, aiming to enhance facilities and hire new faculty. While the plan received mixed reactions from city officials, it marked a significant step toward expanding the university's capabilities. By June 10, 2009,
10780-399: The university's main library until 1984. AHANA is the term Boston College uses to refer to persons of African-American , Hispanic , Asian , and Native American descent. The term was coined at Boston College in 1979 by two students, Alfred Feliciano and Valerie Lewis, who objected to the name "Office of Minority Programs" used by Boston College at the time. They cited the definition of
10890-455: The word minority as "less than" and proposed, instead, to use the term AHANA which they felt celebrated social cultural differences. After receiving overwhelming approval from the university's board of trustees , and UGBC president Dan Cotter, the Office of Minority Student Programs became the Office of AHANA Student Programs. The term, or one or its derivative forms, such as ALANA (where " Latino "
11000-781: Was based on the Jesuit Ratio Studiorum , emphasizing Latin , Greek , philosophy , and theology . Expansion of the South End buildings onto James Street enabled increased separation between the high school and college divisions, though Boston College High School remained a constituent part of Boston College until 1927, when it was separately incorporated . In 1907, newly installed President Thomas I. Gasson , S.J., determined that BC's cramped, urban quarters in Boston's South End were inadequate and unsuited for significant expansion. Inspired by John Winthrop 's early vision of Boston as
11110-591: Was called the Council of the Indies . The United Nations and its statistics division recognize North America as including three regions: Northern America, Central America , and the Caribbean . "Northern America" is a distinct term from "North America", excluding Central America, which itself may or may not include Mexico . In the limited context of regional trade agreements, the term is used to reference three nations: Canada,
11220-806: Was closed in 1958 and reopened as a light rail line, connecting to the Boylston Street subway at Kenmore , a year later. In 1967 the Beacon Street line was designated the Green Line C branch, and the Highland branch as the D branch. Construction on the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, which consolidated the city's four smaller reservoirs, began at the end of the Civil War in 1865 and was completed in 1870. Englewood Avenue and Sutherland Road were laid out in 1872, but
11330-488: Was electrified in 1889 and in 1896 extended to Boston College (Lake Street) via Chestnut Hill Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue. Around 1932 it was cut back to Cleveland Circle. The Commonwealth Avenue Street Railway also opened in 1896, extending rail service from Boston College to Norumbega Park (on the Charles River near present-day Route 128 ). This outer streetcar line was converted to bus service in 1930. In 1900,
11440-539: Was established in 1993 and named in 1996 to honor John J. McMullen's parents. In 2016, it moved to a new facility with nearly double the exhibition space and enhanced features. The museum is recognized for its multidisciplinary exhibitions that contextualize art within broader political and cultural narratives, with notable collections including works by prominent artists such as Winslow Homer and Pablo Picasso. Significant exhibitions have included "Carrie Mae Weems: Strategies of Engagement" and "Saints and Sinners: Caravaggio and
11550-552: Was founded through the efforts of the first Jesuit community in New England , which was established at St. Mary's Church in Boston in 1849. Jesuit priest John McElroy maintained the vision for what became BC, recognizing the need for an educational institution for the Irish Catholic immigrant population. With the approval of his Jesuit superiors, McElroy raised funds and purchased land for "The Boston College" on Harrison Avenue in
11660-430: Was fourteen, indicating a strong presence of high schoolers, which aligned with the Society of Jesuits 's preparatory tradition from Europe. The student body consisted mainly of local boys from greater Boston parishes, some of whom received scholarships, while campus life focused heavily on religious activities, requiring Catholic students to attend Mass, partake in confession, and join devotional societies. The curriculum
11770-790: Was in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, followed by additional colonial establishments on the east coast from present-day Georgia in the south to Massachusetts in the north, forming the Thirteen Colonies of British America. The English did not establish settlements north or east of the St. Lawrence Valley in present-day Canada until after the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War . Britain's early settlements in present-day Canada included St. John's, Newfoundland in 1630 and Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749. The first permanent French settlement
11880-423: Was restructured to include lay alumni and business leaders, moving away from its traditional composition of Society of Jesus members. In 1973, Monan appointed Frank B. Campanella as BC’s first executive vice president, focusing on fiscal matters and university administration. Campanella held this position until 1991. In 1974, BC adopted depreciation accounting, a novel approach at the time for universities, reflecting
11990-468: Was the first European to suggest that the Americas represented a landmass not then known to the Europeans. In 1507, Waldseemüller published a world map, and placed the word "America" on the continent of present-day South America. The continent north of present-day Mexico was then referred to as Parias. On a 1553 world map published by Petrus Apianus , North America was called "Baccalearum", meaning "realm of
12100-600: Was written by T. J. Hurley, who also wrote " For Boston " (the Boston College fight song ) and was a member of the Class of 1885. Boston College's athletic teams, known as the Eagles, compete at the NCAA Division I level across various sports, including football in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). They have been members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) since the 2005–06 season after previously competing in
#488511