Wikipedia:Main Page history/2019 March 4

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

John Adams (1735–1826) was a leader of the American Revolution and the second president of the United States (1797–1801). He was a dedicated diarist, and corresponded with his wife and advisor Abigail, recording important historical information on the era. As a lawyer, Adams was devoted to the right to counsel and presumption of innocence; he defied anti-British sentiment and successfully defended British soldiers against murder charges arising from the Boston Massacre. A political activist prior to the revolution, Adams was a Massachusetts delegate to the Continental Congress. He assisted in drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and was its foremost advocate in Congress. As a diplomat in Europe, he helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris with Britain. Adams was the primary author of the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780, which influenced the United States Constitution. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know...

Compagnoni (left) and Lacedelli

... that K2, the world's second highest mountain, was first climbed by Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli (pictured) on the 1954 Italian Karakoram expedition?
... that John Kirklin's modifications to Gibbon's heart–lung machine allowed blood-free surgery on the human heart?
... that Bajadasaurus had elongated neural spines on its neck, thought to have been used to deter predators?
... that Shutt and Thompson designed All Saints, Harlow Hill, with a "circular bell tower reminiscent of Irish bell-houses"?
... that the San Jose Earthquakes won MLS Cup 2001 only one season after finishing at the bottom of the league table?
... that Penny Rafferty Hamilton proposed 101 strategies to increase the participation of women in aviation?
... that at the 1176 Cardigan eisteddfod in Deheubarth, Wales, The Lord Rhys awarded chairs as prizes to the winners of the poetry and music competitions?
... that Indian theatre actor Jahangir Pestonji Khambhata wanted to see Shakespeare's plays in England, but the ship he boarded went in the other direction?

In the news

Muhammadu Buhari

The military confrontation between India and Pakistan escalates after both countries conduct airstrikes.
Muhammadu Buhari (pictured) is re-elected President of Nigeria.
Cardinal George Pell becomes the highest ranking member of the Catholic Church to be convicted of child sexual abuse.
Green Book wins Best Picture and Bohemian Rhapsody wins in four categories at the Academy Awards.

On this day

March 4: Shrove Monday (Western Christianity, 2019)

Orion Nebula

856 – Trpimir I, founder of the Trpimirović dynasty of Croatia, issued a document that contained the first known usage of the name "Croats".
1769 – French astronomer Charles Messier first noted the Orion Nebula (pictured), a bright nebula situated south of Orion's Belt, later cataloguing it as the 42nd item in his list of Messier objects.
1899 – Cyclone Mahina struck Bathurst Bay, Queensland, killing over 300 people in the deadliest natural disaster in Australian history.
1944 – Murder, Inc. leader Louis Buchalter was executed, becoming the only American mob boss to receive the death penalty after being convicted of murder.
2009 – The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity regarding his actions during the War in Darfur.

Hindal Mirza (b. 1519) · Edwards Pierrepont (b. 1817) · Izaak Kolthoff (d. 1993)

More anniversaries:

From today's featured list

Philip Bliss, Registrar from 1824 to 1853

The Registrar of the University of Oxford is one of the senior officials of the university. According to its statutes, the Registrar acts as the "head of the central administrative services", with responsibility for "the management and professional development of their staff and for the development of other administrative support". He or she is also the "principal adviser on strategic policy" to the university's Vice-Chancellor and Council, its main decision-making body. The university regards the role as having a 550-year history, as there are references in the records to officials carrying out the duties of a registrar in the 15th century, though the list of Registrars published by the university in the 19th century begins with John London, who died in 1508. As the administrative requirements of the university have increased, so have the number of staff employed in the university administration under the Registrar. The university decided to give the role increased importance after this was recommended by a commission in 1922. (Full list...)

Recently featured:

Today's featured picture

Lightning is a powerful natural electrostatic discharge produced during a thunderstorm. Lightning's abrupt electric discharge is accompanied by the emission of visible light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation. The electric current passing through the discharge channels rapidly heats and expands the air into a plasma, producing acoustic shock waves (thunder) in the atmosphere.

Photograph: Mircea Madau; retouched by Diego pmc

Recently featured:

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.