-1066: William led an army of Norman knights across the channel to England http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_0qZ6_cf6cvg/TST7lsJsNcI/AAAAAAAAAK4/D_LZo5thpQ/s1600/Battle%2Bof%2BHastings.jpg
-known as the Battle of
Hastings
-English were defeated

-William became King
William I of England
-at first English resisted his rule, however, became more accepting after he kept many of their laws and type of govt.
-the English learned
Norman customs, the
French language & architecture, and new artisan skills

-busy with the Crusades rather than ruling
England
-died in 1199 from an arrow wound http://thebsreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/richard.jpg

-became King of
England
taxes; made nobles angry
-1215: forced to sign the Magna Carta http://www.berkshirehistory.com/villages/images/windsor_john.jpg

Meaning: The Church had the final say who was appointed to
Church positions of power.

"No more than the normal amounts of money can be collected to run the government, unless the king's feudal tenants give their consent."
Meaning: The King was not allowed to demand more money (taxes) from people unless the
Great Council agreed.

"No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions... except by the lawful judgment of his peers."
Every free male has the right to a fair trial.

Other Magna Carta Declarations
-took away some of the
King’s power & gave more to nobles
-the King is not above the law http://www.dutiel.com/webquests/test/images/magna_carta_thumb.jpg

http://www.thedctraveler.com/files/2007/09/magna-carta-at-the-national-archives.jpg
-Magna Carta=Great
Charter
(charters are documents that allow towns to control their own affairs)

Magna Carta Q & A
(courtesy of the British Library)
Why is it so hard to read?
The scribes wrote in medieval Latin. They also followed the usual practice of abbreviating words to save space on the parchment, because it was so expensive to produce.
http://www.bl.uk/treasures/magnacarta/magna_6.html

Magna Carta Q & A
(courtesy of the British Library)
What kind of material was it written on?
The Magna Carta was written on parchment, not on paper.
Parchment was the normal writing material in England at the time (it was made from sheepskin) http://www.isle-dso.eu.dodea.edu/et/Projects/Constitution/parchmentbase.jpg

Magna Carta Q & A
(courtesy of the British Library)
There are four known copies of the Magna
Carta; why is one burnt?
Both copies of Magna Carta in the British Library came from a collection of manuscripts owned by Sir
Robert Cotton. In 1731, there was a fire where his collection was kept.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/images/citiz en_subject/magna_carta.jpg

Magna Carta Q & A
(courtesy of the British Library)
Why is the Magna Carta so important?
It was the first action by an English king to set limits on royal authority.
http://files.vector-images.com/clipart/crown_emp7.gif

-1264 became King
-let more people have representatives in
Great Council http://www.s9.com/images/portraits/21027_Montfort-Simon-De.jpg

-made Parliament http://www.wright.edu/~martin.kich/GLR/Glr5/Images/Ph10.jpg
-gave people an even greater share in the ruling of England http://www.middletemple.org.uk/Images/h_edward_i.jpg

England. British Library.
The British Library . Claire Breay. The British Library Board.
Web. 28 Feb. 2010.
<http://www.bl.uk/treasures/magnacarta/virtual_curator/vcindex.html>.