Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 July 9

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The Cross of Gold speech was delivered by William Jennings Bryan, a former congressman from Nebraska, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on July 9, 1896. In the address, Bryan supported bimetallism or "free silver", which he believed would bring the nation prosperity. He decried the gold standard, concluding the speech, "you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold". Bryan's address helped catapult him to the Democratic Party's presidential nomination; it is considered one of the greatest political speeches in American history. For twenty years, Americans had been bitterly divided over the nation's monetary standard. Many Americans believed bimetallism (making both gold and silver legal tender) was necessary to the nation's economic health. Bryan's speech, delivered at the close of the debate on the party platform, electrified the convention and is generally credited with getting him the nomination for president. However, he lost the general election to William McKinley and the United States formally adopted the gold standard in 1900. (more...) Recently featured: Dendrocollybia – Killer7 – Calgary Stampede Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that during the Antinomian Controversy, Anne Hutchinson (pictured) withstood two separate trials without counsel before being banished from Massachusetts? ... that Argentine nationalism sees José de San Martín, Juan Manuel de Rosas and Juan Perón as a line of historical continuity? ... that one of the most popular Polish cabarets, Pod Egidą, performing since 1967, has faced persecution from the communist authorities in the People's Republic of Poland? ... that 2012 College World Series Most Outstanding Player Robert Refsnyder was born in South Korea and adopted by a California couple when he was three months old? ... that the print identity of UK music newspaper The Stool Pigeon is modelled on Victorian tabloids? ... that 2012 Australian Olympic canoeist Hannah Davis won a bronze medal in the sport at the 2008 Summer Olympics? ... that the starfish Anasterias rupicola feeds on the limpet Nacella macquariensis, sometimes hunting it in groups? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
At least 141 people are killed in a flash flood in the Krasnodar Krai region of Russia. The Shard (pictured) in London is inaugurated as the tallest building in Europe, with a height of 310 metres (1,020 ft). In association football, the Copa Libertadores concludes with Corinthians defeating Boca Juniors in the Finals. CERN announces the discovery of a new particle with properties consistent with the Higgs boson after experiments at the Large Hadron Collider. GlaxoSmithKline pleads guilty to criminal charges of health care fraud and is fined a record US$3 billion. In association football, UEFA Euro 2012 concludes with Spain defeating Italy in the final to win a second consecutive European Football Championship. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
July 9: Independence Day in Argentina (1816) and South Sudan (2011) 455 – Roman military commander Avitus was proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. 869 – An earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck the area around Sendai, Japan, leaving sand deposits up to 2.5 miles (4 km) inland. 1850 – Following Zachary Taylor's death, Millard Fillmore (pictured) became President of the United States, the last member of the Whig Party to hold that office. 1962 – In a seminal moment for pop art, Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans exhibition opened at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles. 2008 – Under the belief that Israel and the United States were planning to attack its nuclear programme, Iran conducted the Great Prophet III missile test and war games exercise. More anniversaries: July 8 – July 9 – July 10 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now July 9, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured list

The 60 municipalities of Lithuania are sub-divided into over 500 smaller groups, known as elderships, as well as being grouped into 10 counties. These municipalities, elderships, and counties make up the three layers of Lithuania's administrative division. At the end of its tenure as a Soviet Socialist Republic, Lithuania's administrative division consisted of 44 regions, 12 cities, 80 towns, 19 settlements, and 426 rural districts. The reform of this system was an immediate concern for the new government. The Constitution of Lithuania, ratified in 1992, delegated the power of establishing future administrative units to the Lithuanian Parliament. The current system of a set of municipalities under 10 counties was codified by 1995. Several changes were made in 2000, resulting in 60 municipalities, each of which has its own coat of arms (example pictured). Municipal councilors are directly elected every four years. The councilors then elect the municipality's mayor. (more...)

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Mission Santa Clara de Asís is a Spanish mission founded by the Franciscan order in the present-day city of Santa Clara, California. It is named for Saint Clare of Assisi, the foundress of the order of the Poor Clares. It is the namesake of both the city and county of Santa Clara, as well as Santa Clara University, which was built around the mission.

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