The following is not required (and therefore probably will not be read by many of you), but if you'd like a good laugh (some will now accept this as a challenge, if only to come to class exclaiming that this isn't funny at all and that I've wasted their time) about how we Americans often view England, then read this piece for The Guardian by American writer George Saunders: Just who is this Magna Carta fellow?

No, you will not be tested on this (more people have just decided not to read it, yet some have just decided to, based solely on the fact that they want to prove me wrong about them not reading it). Enjoy.