William Henry Harrison's 1840 presidential campaign elevated Harrison,
who had served as a general and in the U.S. Congress, to the presidency
after at least four years of seeking the office. In the election,
Harrison defeated the incumbent Democrat, President Martin Van Buren, in
a campaign that broke new ground in American politics. Among other
firsts, Harrison's victory was the first time the Whig Party won the
presidency. Harrison gained the nomination over Henry Clay and Winfield
Scott. Many of his rallies took on a carnival atmosphere, growing to
unprecedented size. He made speeches to some of them, breaking the
custom that presidential hopefuls not campaign. Harrison's death in
April 1841 marked the first time an American president failed to
complete his term; he was succeeded by Vice President John Tyler. The
unofficial campaign motto, "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too", has been called
the most famous presidential campaign slogan in U.S. history.
Read more:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Henry_Harrison_1840_presidential_campaign>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1881:
Indigenous Mapuche began an uprising against the occupation of
Araucanía by Chile.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapuche_uprising_of_1881>
1943:
The Holocaust: The largest massacre of Jews by German forces
began at Majdanek concentration camp.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Harvest_Festival>
1957:
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2, carrying the space dog
Laika (depicted) as the first living creature to enter orbit around
Earth.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laika>
1996:
Abdullah Çatlı, a leader of the ultra-nationalist Grey
Wolves, was killed in a car crash near Susurluk, Turkey, sparking a
scandal that exposed the depth of the state's complicity in organized
crime.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susurluk_scandal>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
attainable:
Able to be accomplished, achieved, or obtained.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/attainable>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I contend to be a fighter for pureness and truth. I hesitate,
because I am afraid of you and your attitude towards truth. To say the
truth about you is dangerous to life.
--Wilhelm Reich
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Reich>