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Today's featured article
The Mormon handcart pioneers were participants in the migration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Salt Lake City, Utah who used handcarts to transport their belongings. The Mormon handcart movement began in 1856 and lasted until 1860. Motivated to join their fellow Church members but lacking funds for full ox or horse teams, nearly 3,000 Mormon pioneers from England, Wales, and Scandinavia made the journey to Utah in 10 handcart companies. Although fewer than ten percent of the 1847–68 Latter-day Saint emigrants made the journey west using handcarts, the handcart pioneers have become an important symbol in LDS culture, representing the faithfulness and sacrifice of the pioneer generation. The handcart pioneers continue to be recognized and honored in events such as Pioneer Day, Church pageants, and similar commemorations. The handcart treks were a familiar theme in 19th century Mormon folk music and have been a theme in LDS fiction, such as Gerald Lund's historical novel, Fire of the Covenant, and Orson Scott Card's science-fiction short story, "West." (more...)
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Today's featured picture
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A large bolt of lightning strikes west of downtown Denver, Colorado, with the Qwest Tower (center) in plain view. Denver, known as the "Mile-High City" because its official elevation is one mile (1.6 km), is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Colorado. In the spring and summer, Denver is subject to monsoon conditions with frequent thunderstorms. Photo credit: Dag Peak |
Current events
- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (pictured) opens a conference aiming to "review the Holocaust".
- In his final speech in office, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan encourages the United States to provide global leadership whilst respecting multilateralism.
- Incumbent Igor Smirnov wins presidential elections in the internationally unrecognized state of Transnistria.
- Christer Fuglesang, the first Scandinavian in space, and six other astronauts on mission STS-116 arrive at the International Space Station.
- Former Chilean head of state Augusto Pinochet (age 91) dies one week after suffering a heart attack.
- Marc Ravalomanana is re-elected as President of Madagascar.
Selected anniversaries
- 1896 - Glasgow Subway, the third oldest metro system in the world, began operations in Glasgow, Scotland.
- 1911 - Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen (pictured) and his team became the first people to reach the South Pole.
- 1918 - King Frederick Charles of Finland renounced the throne after the defeat of the German Empire in World War I.
- 1962 - Mariner 2 became the world's first spacecraft to successfully fly by Venus.
- 1995 - The Dayton Agreement was signed in Paris, France to end the Yugoslav wars.
Recent days: December 13 – December 12 – December 11
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest articles:
- ...that Remuh Synagogue (pictured) is the only functioning synagogue in Kraków, Poland?
- ...that Buster, the dog of British Labour politician Roy Hattersley, earned his owner a criminal record after killing a goose in St. James's Park, London?
- ...that Walter Hancock designed the first steam-powered bus to travel from London to Brighton?
- ...that Thoroughbred racehorse Arazi's victory over Bertrando has been described as the single-most spectacular performance in Breeders' Cup history?
- ...that Communist Romania's Foreign Minister, Grigore Preoteasa, was killed in an aircraft accident after refusing to wear a seat belt during landing?
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