fleshy fruits and dry fruits. In fleshy
fruits, the part of the fruit around the
seeds is juicy and soft. Apples, berries,
oranges, and other fleshy fruits contain
many seeds. Some fleshy fruits—for
example, cherries and peaches—contain
only one seed, or pit. These are called
stone fruits. Dry fruits are not as juicy
as fleshy fruits. Dry fruits include beans
and nuts.
People and many wild animals eat fresh
fruits. Fruits are important sources of
fiber and vitamins, especially vitamin C.
They contain minerals and a large
amount of water.
People also eat frozen, canned, and dried
fruits. They make fruits into jams and
jellies. They add fruits to a variety of
desserts and main dishes. People also
drink the juice of fruits.
#More to explore
Flower • Nut • Seed • Vegetable
Fuchsia
Fuchsias are flowering plants. They are
known for their brightly colored, hanging
flowers. Many people grow fuchsias
in gardens and window boxes. Hummingbirds
also like fuchsias.
Fuchsias can be found in Central
America, South America, Europe, and
Fruits are an important part of a healthy
diet. They contain fiber as well as many
minerals and vitamins.
Fuchsia plants are prized for
their drooping flowers.
72 Fruit BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
the United States. They grow best in
sheltered areas. Fuchsias need to be kept
away from strong winds. They also need
to be protected from heat.
There are about 100 species, or kinds, of
fuchsia. They can be small plants,
shrubs, or trees. Fuchsia flowers can be
many colors, including white, red, pink,
and purple. The color fuchsia, a bright
reddish purple, got its name from these
plants. Fuchsias also come in many sizes.
Some are 6 inches (15 centimeters) tall.
Others grow to 18 feet (5.5 meters).
The main part of a fuchsia flower is
shaped like a tube or a bell. At the end
are four brightly colored petals. The
colors attract hummingbirds and insects.
These animals drink the flowers’ nectar,
which is a sweet liquid. When they do
this, pollen sticks to their bodies. The
animals then carry the pollen to other
flowers. This is how fuchsias reproduce,
or create new plants.
#More to explore
Flower • Pollen
Fuel
#see Fossil Fuel.
Fugitive Slave
Acts
In the United States before the American
CivilWar many people in the
Southern states owned slaves. The
Northern states did not allow slavery.
Slaves therefore often tried to escape
from the South to the North. To stop
this, Congress passed two laws called the
Fugitive Slave Acts, in 1793 and 1850.
The laws stated that escaped, or fugitive,
slaves must be returned to their owners.
These laws applied even if an escaped
slave was captured in a free state (state
with no slavery). The second act was so
harsh that it became a major problem
between the North and the South.
Fugitive Slave Act of 1793
The U.S. Constitution of 1789 stated
that escaped slaves had to be returned to
their owners. Congress passed the Fugitive
Slave Act of 1793 to enforce this
part of the Constitution. The act
allowed any slaveholder to capture a
suspected runaway slave and bring the
slave before a judge. The judge alone
then decided whether the slave was a
runaway.
A notice warned African Americans
in Boston, Massachusetts, a
city in the North, about the Fugitive
Slave Act of 1850.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Fugitive Slave Acts 73
The act angered abolitionists, or people
who opposed slavery. Northern states
voted to give some legal rights to
escaped slaves. Abolitionists formed a
secret network called the Underground
Railroad to help slaves escape.
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
Southern states soon demanded stronger
laws to protect slavery. In 1850 Congress
passed the second Fugitive Slave
Act. The new act set severe penalties for
anyone who helped a slave to escape.
The main effect of this act was to
strengthen the abolitionist movement.
Eventually the disagreement over slavery
led to the American CivilWar. During
the war, the government sometimes
enforced the Fugitive Slave Acts. In 1864
Congress finally did away with the acts.
#More to explore
Abolitionist Movement • American Civil
War • Slavery • Underground Railroad
Fuji, Mount
The highest mountain in Japan is
Mount Fuji, or Fujiyama. It rises to a
height of 12,388 feet (3,776 meters). A
volcano, Mount Fuji last erupted in
1707. It lies near the Pacific Ocean on
the island of Honshu. Tokyo, Japan’s
capital, lies 60 miles (100 kilometers) to
the east.
Many Japanese consider Mount Fuji to
be sacred. Its name means “everlasting
life.” Temples and shrines surround the
mountain. The Sengen (Asama) Shrine,
at the western foot, has been the main
shrine for worship of Mount Fuji since
the 800s. The city of Fujinomiya has
developed around the shrine.
Climbing Mount Fuji has long been a
religious practice. Today huge crowds
flock there, mostly during the climbing
season from July 1 to August 26. Cities
such as Fuji and Gotemba, at the foot of
the mountain, serve as bases for thousands
of climbers.
#More to explore
Japan • Mountain • Volcano
Mount Fuji is considered the sacred symbol
of Japan.
74 Fuji, Mount BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Funafuti Atoll
