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Welcome to Wikipedia,the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.2,439,264 articles in EnglishArtsBiographyGeographyHistoryMathematicsScienceSocietyTechnologyAll portalsOverview · Editing · Questions · HelpContents · Categories · Featured content · A–Z indexToday’s featured articleWinfield Scott Hancock (1824–1886) was a career U.S. Army officer and the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 1880. He served with distinction in the Army for four decades, including service in the Mexican–American War and as a Union general in the American Civil War. Known to his Army colleagues as “Hancock the Superb”, he was noted in particular for his personal leadership at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. His military service continued after the Civil War, as Hancock participated in the military Reconstruction of the South and the Army’s presence at the Western frontier. After the Civil War, Hancock’s reputation as a soldier and his dedication to conservative constitutional principles made him a quadrennial Presidential possibility. This nationwide popularity led the Democrats to nominate him for President in 1880. Although he ran a strong campaign, Hancock was defeated by Republican James Garfield by the closest popular vote margin in American history. Following the election, Hancock carried on as commander of the Division of the Atlantic, and was elected president of the National Rifle Association in 1881. (more…)Recently featured: André Kertész – Conatus – Oxidative phosphorylationArchive – By email – More featured articles…Did you know…From Wikipedia’s newest articles:… that the sittellas (pictured) of Australasia were once thought to be nuthatches but are now considered their own family?… that the best result of German motorcycle rider Georg Braun, a second place, was achieved in a wet race in the 1954 Swiss motorcycle Grand Prix at Circuit Bremgarten?… that the Missouri University of Science and Technology Nuclear Reactor, built in 1961, was the first nuclear reactor in the U.S. state of Missouri?… that the Durga Vahini, the women’s wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, have been accused of instigating violence against religious minorities in India?… that the 2100 series of the Keihin Electric Express Railway produces a “do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do” tune when its propulsion system starts up?… that when wrestler George Scott and his brother Sandy were in Australia, they won the IWA World Tag Team Championship three times between 1966 and 1968?… that units in LA’s Avenel Cooperative Housing Project, reportedly built as “a cooperative living experiment for a group of communists”, were selling for US$300,000 in 2002?Archive – Start a new article…In the newsÍngrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages are rescued by the Colombian government after being held captive by the FARC guerillas for six years.A Palestinian man drives a front-end loader (pictured) into several vehicles in Jerusalem, killing three before being shot dead.A four-day state of emergency is declared in Mongolia after violent protests follow the legislative elections.Thousands of Chinese riot in Guizhou, targeting local government buildings and officials over an alleged police cover-up of the death of a teenage girl.Robert Mugabe is sworn in for his sixth term as President of Zimbabwe after a controversial run-off presidential election in which opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew his candidacy due to election-related violence.Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events…On this day…July 3: Independence Day in Belarus1608 – French explorer Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City, considered to be the first European-built city in non-Spanish North America.1778 – American Revolutionary War: Loyalists and Iroquois killed or tortured over 300 Patriots at the Battle of Wyoming in Pennsylvania.1844 – The last known pair of Great Auks (illustration by John Gerrard Keulemans shown), the only species in the genus Pinguinus, were killed in Eldey off the coast of Iceland.1863 – Pickett’s Charge, a disastrous Confederate infantry assault against Union Army positions, occurred during the final and bloodiest day of fighting in the Battle of Gettysburg, marking a turning point in the American Civil War.1938 – The LNER Mallard broke the world speed record for a steam railway locomotive, reaching a speed of 126 miles per hour (203 km/h).More events: July 2 – July 3 – July 4Archive – By email – More anniversaries…It is now 17:36, July 3, 2008 (UTC) – Refresh this pageToday’s featured pictureA stonemason at work in 1909, stonecutting an angel at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York.The craft of stonemasonry—creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone—has existed since the dawn of civilization. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures. Some famous products of stonemasonry include the Taj Mahal, Easter Island’s Moai statues, the Egyptian pyramids, Angkor Wat, Tihuanaco, Tenochtitlan, the Iranian Persepolis, the Greek Parthenon, Stonehenge, and Chartres Cathedral.Photo credit: Bain News ServiceRecently featured: Insect flight – Theodore Roosevelt – Double O ArchArchive – More featured pictures…