Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 November 11

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article
In 1896, William Jennings Bryan ran for President of the United States. The former Democratic congressman from Nebraska, who gained his party's presidential nomination in July of that year after electrifying the Democratic National Convention with his Cross of Gold speech, was defeated in the general election by the Republican candidate, former Ohio governor William McKinley. Born in 1860, Bryan grew up in rural Illinois and in 1887 moved to Nebraska, where he practiced law and entered politics. He won election to the House of Representatives in 1890, and was re-elected in 1892, before mounting an unsuccessful Senate campaign. Despite the loss, he set his sights on higher office, believing he could be elected president in 1896 even though he remained a relatively minor figure in the Democratic Party. In anticipation of a presidential run, he spent much of 1895 and early 1896 making speeches across the United States; his compelling oratory increased his popularity in his party. After gaining the nomination, he undertook an extensive tour by rail to bring his campaign to the people, speaking some 600 times, to an estimated 5,000,000 listeners. His campaign focused on prosperity through bimetallism (or free silver), an issue which failed to appeal to the urban voter. (Full article...) Recently featured: History of Sesame Street – William Warelwast – Abuwtiyuw Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Operation Bertram deceived Rommel about the timing and location of the El Alamein attack, using camouflage (pictured) and dummies? ... that in Bach's chorale cantata Wohl dem, der sich auf seinen Gott, BWV 139, the part of a second obbligato instrument for a tenor aria is missing? ... that Colonel Abd al-Wahab al-Shawaf led a short-lived rebellion from the city of Mosul in a bid to overthrow Iraqi president Abd al-Karim Qasim in 1959? ... that in 1997 the Belgian socialist daily Le Peuple, founded in 1885, was acquired by the Rossel media group? ... that the village of Borzęcin was first mentioned in historical documents by the Polish chronicler Jan Długosz in his Liber beneficiorum? ... that write-only memory, devised as an insider joke, does have real uses and may even increase the power of a quantum computer? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
Justin Welby is announced as the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury. A new genus of dinosaur, Xenoceratops, is identified from remains discovered in Alberta, Canada. An earthquake off the Pacific coast of Guatemala kills at least 52 people. Barack Obama (pictured) is re-elected President of the United States. In a non-binding referendum, Puerto Rico votes in favor of changing its territorial status and requesting to become the 51st state of the United States. The first complete specimens of Mesoplodon traversii, the world's rarest whale species, are identified. Syrian civil war – Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
November 11: Armistice Day in Belgium and France; Remembrance Day/Remembrance Sunday in the Commonwealth (2012); Independence Day in Angola (1975) and Poland (1918); Veterans Day in the United States 1778 – American Revolutionary War: British forces and their Seneca allies attacked a fort and the village of Cherry Valley, New York, killing 14 soldiers and 30 civilians. 1889 – Washington, named in honor of the first U.S. president, was admitted to the United States as the 42nd state. 1934 – The Shrine of Remembrance, a memorial to all Australians who have served in war, opened in Melbourne. 1942 – World War II: The Allies (Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery pictured) defeated the Axis at the Second Battle of El Alamein, Egypt, turning the tide in the North African Campaign by ending Axis hopes of taking control of the Suez Canal and thus gaining access east to the Middle Eastern oil fields. 1965 – Southern Rhodesia, led by Prime Minister Ian Smith, unilaterally declared independence from the United Kingdom to become Rhodesia. More anniversaries: November 10 – November 11 – November 12 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now November 11, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

Curve is a theatre in the "Cultural Quarter" of Leicester, England. It was designed by Rafael Viñoly and opened on 11 November 2008.

Photo: Celuici

Recently featured: Redeye gaper – CT scan of a webcam – Hoary-headed Grebe

Archive – More featured pictures...

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.