Remember that there will be a short story test on Tuesday, Sept. 29.  

• The original information regarding contents is on the post for Sept. 24.  It has been updated to include links to electronic copies in case you have lost your original short story hand-outs.
• The format of the test will include objective questions (matching, multiple choice) with responses on Scantrons, AND written responses (paragraph/extended paragraph) for which you will have to show knowledge, understanding, and insight. 
• Bring both a pencil for the Scantron section and a pen with blue or black ink for the written portion.

IN CLASS ON FRIDAY
Students wrote a brief list of what they knew about early Britain (up through 1066), and then we spent some time talking about some of the ideas that were written down. A few knew a fair amount; most will not be bored by learning something you already know!! I hope there will be new and interesting material for everyone over the next few weeks.

FOR MONDAY
Start some serious review for the short story test on Tuesday; it will be a significant grade for the first quarter.

SOME MODERN LINKS TO THE HISTORY WE STUDY
Just this week, there is new information about Westminster Abbey involving at least 50 bodies found buried just outside the current building walls.  As we were talking about the "end point" of the Anglo-Saxon period being 1066--associated with the invasion by William of Normandy--the exact information was a bit different in each class.  All of the important "need-to-know" points will be brought up in the required reading or associated information.  But in at least one class, I mentioned that William marched from the battle site at Hastings on to London in the weeks following the battle, and that he was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day of 1066.

If you've been to London and seen Westminster Abbey (or if you've seen any video of the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton) you know what an impressive stone structure it is. The present structure was begun by Henry III in 1245 (well into the medieval period) but there were earlier church buildings on that site as early as the middle of the 10th century (circa 950).

You would think that by know, historians and archaeologists would know all there is to know about Westminster Abbey, but you would be wrong.  Here's something that was just published last week:
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/sep/23/westminster-abbey-medieval-burial-remains-demolition-new-tower

And although I'm not going to go into the details of the search or the proof now, the body of King Richard III was found a couple of years ago under a "car park" [parking lot] in the city of Leicester.   Richard III is the king whose death at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 ended the Wars of the Roses and led to Henry Tudor becoming king (and starting the Tudor line that lasted through Elizabeth I's death in 1603).  BUT--they have continued to dig, and this is the latest report on what else has been found:
Article on Women's Graves Found Near Richard III's