Main Page

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

To be hanged, drawn and quartered was, from 1351, a penalty in England for men convicted of high treason, although the ritual was first recorded in the 13th century. Convicts were fastened to a hurdle, or wooden panel, and drawn by horse to the place of execution. Once there, they were hanged (almost to the point of death), emasculated, disembowelled, beheaded and quartered (chopped into four pieces). For reasons of public decency, women convicted of high treason were instead burnt at the stake. The severity of the sentence was measured against the seriousness of the crime. As an attack on the monarch's authority, high treason was considered an act deplorable enough to demand the most extreme form of punishment. Over a period of several hundred years many men found guilty of high treason were punished in this fashion, including English Catholic priests executed during the Elizabethan era. Although the Act of Parliament that defines high treason remains on the United Kingdom's statute books, the sentence was modified in the 19th century and became obsolete in England in 1870. The death penalty for treason was abolished in 1998. (Full article...)

Recently featured: Dodo – SheiKra – Battle of Quebec (1775)

Archive – By email – More featured articles...

Did you know...

From Wikipedia's newest content:

... that biochemist Nancy Chang (pictured) became interested in biology after reading James Watson's book on the discovery of the double helix?
... that the folk-rock band Bangla's debut album, which featured several little-known folk songs, sold over a hundred thousand copies in the first two weeks of its release?
... that British Major-General Edward Charles Ingouville-Williams was killed in action while commanding the 34th Division at the Battle of the Somme?
... that the book Inspired Talks (1909) contains a series of lectures delivered by Swami Vivekananda in mid-1895 to a group of selected disciples at the Thousand Island Park, New York?
... that current Colombian Senator Juan Manuel Galán Pachón is the son and political heir of the assassinated political leader Luis Carlos Galán?
... that Mahoning Creek was in the vicinity of one of the last Native American villages and first European settlers in its part of Pennsylvania?
... that Garrett Wang's inclusion in a list of sexiest men saved his character, Harry Kim, from being killed off during season three of Star Trek: Voyager?

Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news

Asiana Airlines Flight 214 (aircraft pictured) crashes while landing at San Francisco International Airport, killing two people.
A runaway fuel train derails in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, killing at least one person and destroying at least thirty buildings in the town's core.
At least 42 people, mostly students, are killed in a pre-dawn attack at a school in Yobe State, Nigeria.
The London Array, the world's largest offshore wind farm, is inaugurated.
Mohamed Morsi is deposed as President of Egypt in a coup d'état amid mass protests.

Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...

On this day...

July 7: Tanabata in Japan; Independence Day in the Solomon Islands (1978)

1456 – Twenty-five years after her death, Joan of Arc was declared innocent of heresy in a posthumous retrial.
1798 – The Quasi-War, an undeclared war fought entirely at sea, began after the United States rescinded their treaties with France.
1963 – The police of Ngo Dinh Nhu, brother and chief political adviser of President of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem, attacked a group of American journalists who were covering a protest during the Buddhist crisis.
1983 – After writing a letter to Soviet premier Yuri Andropov, American schoolgirl Samantha Smith visited the Soviet Union as Andropov's personal guest, becoming known as "America's Youngest Ambassador".
2005 – Suicide bombers killed 52 people in a series of four explosions on London's public transport system (emergency responders pictured).

More anniversaries: July 6 – July 7 – July 8

Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries

It is now July 7, 2013 (UTC) – Reload this page

Today's featured picture

The GameCube is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo beginning in 2001. Meant as a successor to the Nintendo 64, the GameCube sold approximately 22 million units worldwide. It was the third most-successful console of its generation, behind Sony's PlayStation 2 and Microsoft's Xbox. The GameCube was succeeded by the Wii in 2006.

Photo: Evan Amos

Recently featured: Thomas More – Western terrestrial garter snake – 1899 Michigan Wolverines football team

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.