brothers fought and won a long war
against the Titans. The brothers then
drew lots to decide how to divide up the
world. Hades won command of the
underworld.
The most famous story about Hades
explains the change of seasons. Hades
carried Persephone off to the
underworld. She was the daughter of
Demeter, the goddess of farming.
Eventually, Persephone was able to leave
the underworld. But she had to return
there for part of every year. Demeter
would not let anything grow when
Persephone was away. This created
winter.
..More to explore
Mythology • Poseidon • Zeus
Hague, The
Population
(2008
estimate), urban
area, 997,323
Amsterdam is the official capital of The
Netherlands. But the country’s government
and court meet in a city called The
Hague. The International Court of Jus-
In ancient Greek mythology the god Hades
ruled the land of the dead. He kidnapped
Persephone and made her his wife.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Hague, The 5
tice is also located in The Hague. It is
the highest court of the United Nations.
The Dutch royal family has a palace in
The Hague as well.
The Hague is mainly a center of government
and business headquarters. Trade,
banking, and insurance are also important
to the city’s economy.
The Hague grew around a castle built in
1248. The castle buildings were home to
the counts of the region called Holland.
The government of Holland began
meeting in the buildings in the late
1500s.
The region came under French rule in
the late 1700s. The Netherlands became
an independent country in 1815. Its
government offices were then moved
from The Hague to Amsterdam, the
new capital. The government returned
to The Hague in 1913.
DuringWorldWar II (1939–45) German
forces destroyed whole sections of
the city. The damaged areas were rebuilt
after the war.
#More to explore
Amsterdam • Netherlands, The • United
Nations
Haida
The Haida are a tribe of Native Americans
who traditionally lived on the
Queen Charlotte Islands off the coast of
what is now British Columbia in
Canada. In the early 1700s a small
group of Haida moved to Prince of
Wales Island in what is now Alaska.
The Haida were skilled in woodworking.
They carved ceremonial masks and
chests. They also made redwood canoes
that they traded to other tribes. The
Haida lived in large rectangular houses
that they built from cedar planks. They
The Peace Palace is located in The Hague. It
is the home of the International Court of
Justice.
The Haida were excellent woodcarvers.
They sometimes decorated
their carvings with paint
and seashells.
6 Haida BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
fished and hunted seals, sea lions, black
bears, and deer for food.
In the late 1700s traders from Spain,
England, Russia, and France began setting
up posts in Haida territory. The
Haida traded skins and furs in exchange
for knives, metal pots, and other European
goods. But the Europeans also
brought diseases, such as smallpox, that
killed many Haida. In addition, the
Canadian and U.S. governments and
Christian missionaries forced the Haida
to give up some of their traditions.
In the early 21st century there were
about 5,000 Haida. Some live in
Canada and some live in the United
States. The Canadian Haida live in two
villages, Masset and Skidegate. Many of
the Haida in the United States live in
Hydaburg, a city at the southern end of
Prince ofWales Island.
#More to explore
Native Americans
Hair
Hair is a thin, flexible structure that
grows from the skin of every mammal.
Like horns and nails, hair is made
mainly of a protein called keratin.
Individual hairs have a shaft and a root.
The shaft sticks out of the skin’s surface.
This part of the hair is dead. The root
lies beneath the skin’s surface in a pit
known as a follicle. At the base of the
root are living cells. As these cells multiply,
they push old cells out of the skin.
This is how hair grows.
Hair growth varies widely among mammals.
Many mammals, such as dogs and
horses, have a coat of hair that covers
most of the body. When the coat is thick
and soft, as in rabbits, it is known as fur.
Whales and hippopotamuses have only a
few hairs.
Humans have less hair than most mammals.
Usually, most of the hair on a
human body grows from the scalp.
One of the main purposes of hair is to
keep an animal warm. It also helps to
keep moisture away from the skin.
Whiskers are a type of hair that helps
animals to feel things.
People make cloth from the hair of sheep,
goats, camels, and other animals. They
use the fur of mink, foxes, rabbits, and
other animals to make coats and hats.
#More to explore
Horn • Mammal • Nail and Claw • Skin
The long hair on a horse’s head
is called a mane.
People have
about
100,000 to
150,000 hairs
on their head.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Hair 7
Haiti
The Republic of Haiti is the only independent
French-speaking country in the
Americas. Haiti gained independence in
1804 after its slaves revolted against
their French masters. The capital and
largest city is Port-au-Prince.
Geography
Haiti occupies the western third of the
island of Hispaniola in theWest Indies.
The Dominican Republic covers the rest
of Hispaniola. The Atlantic Ocean is to
