Main Page
Welcome to Wikipedia,the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.2,340,974 articles in EnglishArtsBiographyGeographyHistoryMathematicsScienceSocietyTechnologyAll portalsOverview · Editing · Questions · HelpContents · Categories · Featured content · A–Z indexToday’s featured articleThe monarchy of the United Kingdom is a system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The terms British monarch and British monarchy may mean different things in different contexts beyond the United Kingdom. The present monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 6 February 1952. The heir apparent is her eldest son, Charles, Prince of Wales and Duke of Rothesay. They and the Queen’s husband and consort, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, undertake various public duties in accordance with their positions. Elizabeth II is Head of the Commonwealth and also reigns as head of state of 15 other Commonwealth countries. This developed from the former colonial relationship of these countries to Britain, but they are now independent and the monarchy of each is legally distinct. (more…)Recently featured: Reactive attachment disorder – Emma Goldman – Cannibal HolocaustArchive – By email – More featured articles…Did you know…From Wikipedia’s newest articles:…that the gates (pictured) of Warrington Town Hall, Cheshire, erected in 1895, had been shown at the 1862 International Exhibition in London?…that Reuben Gaylord, the recognized leader of missionary pioneers in Omaha City, Nebraska Territory, has been called the “father of Congregationalism in Nebraska”?…that many gift books, decorative anthologies published annually just before the holidays to be given as gifts, featured popular authors of the day such as Dickens, Wordsworth, Hawthorne and Poe?…that Poughkeepsie’s Market Street Row includes one of the oldest houses in the city?…that the southern terminus of the first suburb-to-suburb commuter rail in the United States is Wilsonville Station in Oregon?…that Richard Devlin, the majority leader of the Oregon State Senate, has faced Republican Bob Tiernan three times, in races for two offices?…that despite being dominated by the military elite, the Guatemalan Institutional Democratic Party was ousted from power in 1978 by a military opposition?…that film director Brett Simon taught film history, film theory and video production at the University of California, Berkeley while completing two degrees there?…that the Nez Perce thought they gave nice gifts, but that the Lewis and Clark Expedition gave “cheap” gifts, upon meeting in the Weippe Prairie in 1805?Archive – Start a new article…In the newsFernando Lugo wins the presidential election in Paraguay, ending 61 years of single-party rule under the Colorado Party.In auto racing, Danica Patrick (pictured) wins the Indy Japan 300, becoming the first female driver to win an IndyCar race.An airliner operated by Hewa Bora Airways crashes upon takeoff in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing at least 44 people.An alliance led by Silvio Berlusconi of the People of Freedom party wins the general election in Italy.Trevor Immelman of South Africa wins the 2008 Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.Jacques-Édouard Alexis is ousted as Prime Minister of Haiti following riots over the price of food.The Channel Island Sark abolishes the last remaining feudal system in Europe.Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events…On this day…April 21: Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts and Maine (2008); Grounation Day in the Rastafari movement; First day of Ridván in the Bahá’í Faith; Tiradentes Day in Brazil.753 BC – Romulus and Remus founded Rome, according to the calculations by Roman scholar Varro Reatinus.1836 – Texan forces led by Sam Houston (pictured) defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna and his Mexican troops in the Battle of San Jacinto near La Porte, the decisive battle in the Texas Revolution.1894 – Norway formally adopted the Krag-Jørgensen, a repeating bolt action rifle designed by the Norwegians Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jørgensen, as the main firearm of its armed forces.1918 – The German fighter pilot known as “The Red Baron”, the most successful flying ace of World War I with 80 confirmed air combat victories, was shot down and killed near Vaux-sur-Somme in France.1967 – Colonel Georgios Papadopoulos overthrew the government of Prime Minister Panagiotis Kanellopoulos in a coup d’état, establishing the Regime of the Colonels in Greece.More events: April 20 – April 21 – April 22Archive – By email – More anniversaries…Today’s featured pictureChamp de Mars, Paris (Paris, France), as seen from the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower. In the distance is Tour Montparnasse and the dome on the left is Les Invalides. The École Militaire is at the end of the Champ de Mars. In English the name means “Field of Mars”, from Mars the Roman god of war, from its original use for military training. During the French Revolution, the Champ de Mars was the setting of the Fête de la Fédération, on July 14, 1790.Photo credit: David IliffRecently featured: Hairy Toad Lily – Ocybadistes walkeri – Red lionfishArchive – More featured pictures…