By: Taylor, Tori, Arlie
• The Magna Carta is an English legal document written in 1215 CE
which had a huge influence on the developing legal system of
England
• Magna Carta was the first document forced onto an English charter
• The charter was an important part of the extensive historical
process that led to the rule of constitutional law in the English
speaking world
• laid out laws that even the King of England had to follow
• it guaranteed certain freedoms to the common people. The idea
caught on and helped shape where we are now in our free country
• The Magna Carta was a contract between the king/queen, and the
nobles of England
• It limited the power of the king/queen, and it forced them to
govern according to the law (e.g. he could not put any innocent
person in jail; he could not collect money from anyone without a
reason, etc.)
King John,
King of
England
• Magna Carta was the first document forced onto
an English King by a group of his subjects, in an
attempt to limit his powers by law and protect their
privileges
• The purpose of the Magna Carta was to curb the King
and make him govern by the old English laws that had
prevailed before the Normans came
the Magna Carta initiated the first
constitutional legal system to limit the exercise
of absolute power
• It is now widely accepted as an icon of freedom
under the rule of law
•
• Magna Carta includes very few
statements of legal principle
• the majority of the 63 clauses in
the charter deal with the detail
of feudal rights and customs,
and the administration of justice
• The magna carter limited the
power throughout the colonies
and stated the rights for citizens
and limited King Johns power as
king.
• The influence of the
Magna Carta can be seen in
the United States Constitution
and the Bill of Rights
• The Magna Carta was signed on June 15th 1215 at
Runnymede, which is located south west of London.
Why did King John sign the Magna Carta?
• King John signed the Magna Carta because his people were
unhappy and he knew that he couldn’t rule peacefully
anymore.
• There was also a civil war going on in England and King John
knew he would not prevail. So, he signed the Magna Carta
to end the war.