called bacteria and viruses. Infected tonsils
become large and red. A person with
tonsillitis first feels a sore throat. The
sore throat sometimes makes it painful
to talk or to swallow. The person might
also get a fever. Glands on the sides of
the neck might swell.
Tonsillitis spreads easily, especially by
coughs and sneezes. Avoiding people
with tonsillitis reduces the chance of
infection. Frequent hand washing also
helps. Washing the hands can kill the
bacteria and viruses that cause
tonsillitis.
The treatment of tonsillitis depends on
the cause. If bacteria are the cause, the
doctor gives the person a medicine
called an antibiotic. If a virus is the
cause, the tonsillitis usually has to clear
up on its own. Tonsillitis generally lasts
less than a week. During that time the
person should rest and drink lots of liquids.
In some severe cases of tonsillitis, a
doctor has to remove the tonsils.
..More to explore
Bacteria • Virus
Topeka
Population
(2000 census)
122,377;
(2007 estimate)
122,642
Topeka is the capital of the U.S. state of
Kansas. The city lies on the Kansas
River.
Many people in Topeka work for the
government or in trade, health care, or
other service industries. The city is an
important market for wheat grown in
the surrounding area. The leading
manufacturing industries include
printing, food processing, and making
tires.
In its early history Topeka played a role
in the U.S. conflict over slavery. A group
of people who opposed slavery founded
the city in 1854. Several battles took
place there. Groups fought over whether
A doctor examines a girl’s throat. When a
child has a sore throat, the doctor often
checks for tonsillitis.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Topeka 81
Kansas should permit slavery when it
became a U.S. state. In 1861 Kansas
became a state that did not allow slavery.
Topeka was made the capital.
In the 1860s Topeka became the headquarters
for the building of a large railway.
The railway brought jobs to the city
and helped it grow.
In 1951 the Kansas River overflowed
and flooded Topeka. A tornado damaged
much of the city in 1966.
#More to explore
Kansas • Slavery
Torah
A holy text of Judaism, the Torah is
made up of the first five books of the
Hebrew Bible (which Christians call the
Old Testament). These books are Genesis,
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and
Deuteronomy.
The Torah begins with the story of the
creation of the world. It goes on to
explain and interpret the laws of God,
including the Ten Commandments.
Jews believe that God gave the laws of
the five books to the prophet Moses on
Mount Sinai.
All Jewish synagogues, or places of worship,
keep a copy of the Torah. The copy
is written by hand on parchment scrolls
(rolled-up sheets of animal skin). During
most synagogue services a member
of the congregation reads from the
Torah. Most synagogues read the entire
Torah in one year.
In Hebrew the word Torah means “to
teach” or “to show the way.” In that
broad sense, all Jewish teachings—
including the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud,
and unwritten Jewish traditions—
can be considered part of the Torah.
#More to explore
Bible • Judaism • Moses • Talmud
A sculpture honoring pioneers stands near
the Kansas state Capitol in Topeka, Kansas.
The Torah is a Jewish holy text. Each copy is
handwritten on rolled-up sheets of animal
skin.
82 Torah BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Toussaint-
Louverture
Toussaint-Louverture was born a slave
but became a great military leader. He
led the fight for the independence of
Haiti. Haiti occupies part of the island
of Hispaniola in theWest Indies.
Early Life
Francois Dominique Toussaint was born
in about 1743 in Saint-Domingue (now
Haiti). He was black, like most of the
other slaves in Saint-Domingue.
Although he was a slave, he learned
some French and Latin. As a young man
he supervised the work of other slaves
on the large farm where he lived. He
became free in 1777.
Rebel Leader
During most of Toussaint’s life, France
controlled Saint-Domingue. But the
slaves greatly outnumbered the French
people living there. In 1791 the slaves
rose up in rebellion.Toussaint formed his
own rebel army.He soon became known
asToussaint-Louverture. This was
because he easily found openings in the
enemy’s defenses. (“Louverture” comes
from the French word for “opening.”)
France fought to end the rebellion. But
by 1801 Toussaint had taken over all of
Hispaniola. He freed everyone on the
island who was still a slave. He then
made himself governor-general for life.
Capture and Death
Toussaint ruled until 1802. In that year
France sent troops to take back control.
Toussaint’s forces were outnumbered. In
1803 the French captured Toussaint and
sent him to France. He died in a French
prison on April 7, 1803.
Another black leader named Jean-
Jacques Dessalines continued the fight
against France. His forces won independence
for Saint-Domingue—renamed
Haiti—in 1804.
#More to explore
Haiti • Slavery
Toy
Children everywhere enjoy playing with
toys. A toy can be a simple ball, a game,
or an expensive machine that uses the
latest technology. Years ago most toys
were made from wood and cloth. Today
the most common material is plastic.
